Fate's Flaws
by Tare-Bear
Summary: She was cautious. He was impulsive. Her life started with tragedy. His was simple. She followed the rules and he broke them heedlessly. She was Shadowclan and he was Thunderclan. What did they have in common..? Starclan's expectations. Fireheart/OC!
1. First Sight

Chapter 1- "First Sight"

* * *

"I'm having kits." Darkflower, a Shadowclan she-cat announced one evening after hunting patrol.

"You must move out of the warrior den immediately." Cinderfur meowed excitedly, plucking a vole off the fresh kill pile.

Darkflower let out a delighted purr and picked out a decent sized lizard for herself. They walked over towards a patch of sun to lounge in. It was set in the middle of the Shadowclan, camp clearing and they let themselves relax from a long day out.

"Oh they will be so beautiful, Darkflower, strong and healthy…" Cinderfur went on and on about her old friend's new kits. Being so young, it would be Darkflower's first litter. She was pretty feline, she had a solid dark fur, with a small speck of white marring her chest. Her eyes were a bright contrasting blue.

With her beauty, came the vanity and her overbearing pride. "Of course, they will. They have _me_ as a mother with a strong and _great _father." Darkflower replied stoutly.

Cinderfur, used to her friends bristling ways, just purred in response; downing her vole quickly. Not expressing anything or pressing the she-cat for any details.

In the next eight-nine weeks Darkflower's kits were born.

The clan leader, Brokenstar, was quite pleased for the new additions. He needed more warriors and apprentices. So being the cold hearted and vicious tom he is, he forced the four young kits she had into training weeks before appropriate.

Though elders and a fellow medicine cat, Yellowfang, disagreed with his methods Darkflower wanted her kits to exceed, and she devoted herself fully to this leader. She let his smooth words convince her that her kits were strong enough to endure, that he could already see them becoming great warriors.

The night of their ceremony they were three months old. The sky overhead was clear, it was night and the moon let silver light sprawl across the camp clearing. Throngs of burning stars shown above and the clan cats cast their eyes up towards them. Starclan felt present, within their very reach this night and their clan leader stood a top a tall boulder, his form silhouetting against the sky.

The first kit was a small male, with dark fur like his mother, yet he had white streaking down his torso. He was named, Featherpaw, and as he stood in the center of attention those mellow blue eyes of his shown timid, and quite unlike his mother's vain and shimmering ones.

The next kit was a spunky girl, she was just as pretty as her mother; in all their dark beauty. Her name was Cloverpaw and her eyes were a popping blue, over-enthused and jittery with excitement.

Flatpaw, was the third kit to be named. He was a long-haired dark brown tabby with a broad flat face along with amber eyes.

Darkflower's last kit was an odd one. Not because it was abnormally small or big, but because she is white with only light brown patches, randomly splotching her torso and every one of her paws. Her chest didn't have any brown, it was a clear white – so unlike her mother – and even more so, her eyes were a flashing emerald green. She was named Maplepaw.

Featherpaw and Cloverpaw were assigned different mentors, while both Maplepaw and Flatpaw were assigned to Brokenstar himself.

A great honor, if not an unexpected one. Darkflower loving licked the pair and the other pair was set aside. For right now the arrogant mother only had eyes for the more praised of her four kits. At the end of the event they all spent their first night in the apprentice den.

It only included three other current apprentices; Brownpaw a dark brown tom, Ferretpaw a cream and gray colored tom, lastly there was Pinepaw a tiny black she-cat.

The four kits weren't used to being without their mother. Darkflower didn't seem to linger on them, but soaked in attention and praise the other clan members gave her for her healthy kin. Uncertainly the four of them slunk into the den.

"You're so lucky to be Brokenstar's apprentices!" Cloverpaw purred excitedly her eyes growing round as fell into step beside her kin.

"I know! We will learn how to fight from the best." Boasted Flatpaw.

"I don't know, remember when Pinepaw came back from her first training session? She was pretty hurt." Featherpaw put in nervously, looking concerned and timid as ever.

"We'll be fine he obviously thought we could handle it if he chose us." Maplepaw reassured him pawing a pile of moss before lying down and yawning. The others joined her and curled up tightly together just like they had done in the queen's den. Soon, they fell fast asleep.

The next morning they awoke to a cloudy and extra windy day. The sun hung low with a damp feeling in the air that clung to any cats fur. Brokenstar came for his apprentices much before others were awake.

"Up!" He commanded, sitting outside the den. His voice boomed loud enough to jolt them awake. "Flatpaw and Maplepaw, now!"

They scuttled out of the den half-asleep stumbling and incoherent. They bowed down to their large dark leader as soon as their wits caught up to them.

"Today we'll start by reviewing Shadowclan territories-" Brokenstar began.

"We start training _now_?" Flatpaw cut him off, and the huge dark tabby growled.

Brokenstar moved too fast for any of the kits to blink let alone let move and he struck Flatpaw with his ranking claws, right across his left ear. It made a small slash and blood driped down into his eyes, which he blinked away. Flatpaw was too stunned to do anything, except sink to the ground, trying not to snarl in pain.

Maplepaw eyes grew larger and she slunk down closer to the dirt as well, but she looked to her brother in concern.

"Do not interrupt your mentor." Brokenstar hissed, teaching his first lesson. His amber eyes were glowing with menace. Flatpaw nodded and was copying Maplepaw's surrendering pose.

"Now... I'll take you both to the border where our territory lines the thunderpath across to Highstones. From there I'll expect you to have caught on to the scent of our borders and I'll send you in the opposite directions, alone. I will observe you from there without your knowledge.. so don't mess up and stay in our turf."

Maplepaw and Flatpaw meowed in agreement and the trio headed off.

As they got outside of camp the pair of apprentices absorbed everything. This was their first time out. Not only did they not know the exact dangers, such as enemy patrols, the shiny monsters on the thunderpath, or fox's, badgers, and poisonous prey; they also didn't know the area.

Brokenstar went much faster than the kits and kept having to return and shove them from behind. When they finally made it to a small brush on the outer edge of the thunderpath he had had threatened to further force at least dozen times.

The underbrush they crouched under was just a fox tail away from a flat, sickly smelling road. It seemed to go on forever in two directions, the kits eyed it, but couldn't make sense of it.

"This is the thunderpath." Brokenstar nodded.

The kits exchanged a look of wonder and fear. Maplepaw looked at it curiously and before she could stop herself she was stalking towards it.

She left the safety of the underbrush and was on the edge of the path. Flatpaw meowed something to her, but she wasn't listening.

She took a slow, but sure step on to it. It was warm and sticky against her pads. She had been about to take another step when suddenly she was swept away by teeth clamped in her scruff. A fast, giant, and horrid smelling thing passed just inches to where she had been standing and she stared after it in shock.

Brokenstar dropped her down next to her brother and gave her a calculating look. "_That _was a thunderpath monster."

The two nodded, assenting the new danger and looking after the thing. After the shock faded Flatpaw pressed up against his sister's flank in relief. "That was so close." He meowed quietly.

"Who made those? Surely it's not of the forest." Maplepaw asked, looking to her mentor and away from the path.

"You're right. It is neither of the forest nor even Starclan, they are from twolegs." He said wisely. "Now.. you have seen the dangers I expect you to watch your distance, especially on enemy borders. Which is what you'll have to do next. Flatpaw, you, will go northern along the border up towards carrionplace. Maplepaw, you, will go down along Thunderclan's borders."

They nodded to him, as obedient as a loyal pup and exchanged glances before turning to go. Flatpaw was composed of pride, something he had gotten from his mother and Maplepaw was constructed mostly of pure curiosity. They walked out of sight with Brokenstar watching them like a hawk, but began running as soon as he was out of range.

Maplepaw backed away a few rows of trees from the road, but still kept it in sight.

She liked the dense trees around her. She felt better hidden, rather then the dangers of plain sight could bring. The road was definitely not one of her favorite places; she loved the woods. She loved the smells that filled her nose. There was the sweet pine, the honeysuckle flowers washed out by the morning dew, and the heavy scent of her clan. It was reassuring and refreshing, it blocked out the terrible acidic smell of the monster and its path.

She watched her steps as best she could, but kept tripping up on roots and fallen trees. Those of which she would have to scramble over, since she was still not big enough to leap. She slowed considerably in pace the further along she got and started to stick closer to the thunderpath; trying to get a scent of the enemy clan.

She had heard much about Thunderclan. She was told that they were proud cats, that think they are _so _generous and believed Starclan favored them above all others. Maplepaw never met any, but she wish she could. Not because they sounded appealing, but her very kit-like curiosity overrides fear or shyness that one would usually feel.

After what seemed to Maplepaw, and her aching pads, forever she finally met an unfamiliar scent.

At first it was just lingering in the background, it was hard to grasp and taste on her tongue. It grew stronger though, it reached over the sharp smell of the thunderpath and it was much stronger than a border would be.

She stopped almost immediately. Voices made her ears prickle, her muscles tensed and she didn't know what to do for a fraction of a second. At first, she thought to flee and run home, but a second thought told her that Brokenstar would be watching and she had to be brave.

_Enemy patrol._

She forced her legs to move, they were stiff and robotic, but she slunk along quietly. The closer the voices became she dropped into a crouch and went stalking towards the thunderpath. She found a small bush to obscure herself in, like the other one they had sheltered in before, and there was not a length of a mouse tail from the black path.

Peering through it, her breath stopped short in excitement and fear.

_Three _Thunderclan cats! Only one, the huge dark one, could be a warrior, she thought. While the other two were smaller and would be apprentices.

The huge dark one was speaking to them; lecturing. The bigger of apprentices, was a tom, and he had broader shoulders with long gray fur and darker gray stripes streaked down his pelt. From her distance she could make out yellow eyes, that seemed to hang on every word of the mentors.

The smaller one, a flame colored tom with green eyes... seemed distracted.

Maplepaw strained her ears to make out what the mentor was saying, but a sudden roaring noise made it difficult. She looked to her left and saw another monster, this time she could see the front of it. She experienced the shock of its approach, the speed, and having to see it lurch along. Yet they were all a safe distance, she still took a step back and raised her haunches in defense.

The other three cats all had their own reactions to this.

The mentor seemed at ease just observing his apprentice's reactions. The gray tom tensed and stepped back as well, but the flame pelted one watched with huge eyes and was frozen in place.

After it passed Maplepaw relaxed. Her fur lay flat and though she wasn't making any noise, when she looked back across the street she met a pair of eyes.

_Green_ eyes.

They were staring right at her and she tensed once more, but it was a new fear that overcame her. She kept her eyes glued directly to his, not wanting to seem frightened even though she very much was.

Maplepaw kept the fear out of her eyes, and replaced it with a fierce stare. She tried to make it work that way her elders did. She remembered being a kit and running a muck, her elders would get annoyed and there eyes would.. speak to her, they didn't even have to yell; their eyes did the talking.

_Don't even think about challenging me. _She wanted her eyes to say, but she didn't know if it would work.

The other two hadn't noticed the orange one's distraction, but they would soon.

Maplepaw felt unease at having to stare down the warrior. Her eyes couldn't out talk his. She overlooked the apprentice tom again, more sizing him up then anything and she knew she couldn't take him. There was not modesty or shame to the thought.. it was just that she was too young.

But she wouldn't have to face him. Neither had done wrong and the others wouldn't just stand by, as they fought; so she would be out numbered and at a disadvantage. Saying Maplepaw wasn't in her situation was an understatement, so she let out a warning hiss and slowly retreated.

As soon as she was deep into the underbrush, she sprinted away.

She ran along the border easily and thankfully with no more encounters. She returned to the underbrush by Highstones, just before sunset, her brother was already there and waiting with two rats in front of him. Maplepaw asked him about it, but he just tilted his head above hers; as if he had beaten her in this challenge.

Brokenstar somehow materialized from the same path Maplepaw arrived through a moment later and the two kits jumped slightly in their skin.

"You both have done well..." He began. "Flatpaw I am impressed by your hunting skills, even though they need work. You caught your clan two decent sized and non-diseased rats."

Flatpaw let out a purr and bowed, picking up his catch proudly. Maplepaw wanted to say something to him, to praise her brother, but she suddenly felt nervous about her own assessment. The Thunderclan cats were in the forefront of her thoughts, she felt slightly stunted by her weak attempted to let them know that she was there, protecting her borders.

She didn't know whether she should have or not approached the border or what she should have done when the one had sighted her, There were so many things she probably messed up...

"Maplepaw, you are lucky that you were downwind today." He said slowly, his eyes scaled her small form. "You encountered not a very… rule bidden warrior today."

She waited for him to continue, but he didn't so she put in. "The big dark one?"

"Yes, Tigerclaw." He nodded. "The other two, I don't believe I've seen them before but you handled it well. Warning the orange one of our territory was good, it didn't seem their mentor thought much of it."

His approval to both was short lived when he suddenly barked. "Now get back to camp, alone."

Brokenstar bent forward then, plucking up the two rats and slipping away, swerving into the underbrush and leaving the two kits reeling.

The pair stare after him in shock. There minds mewled in complaint to this. It was their first training, they were exhausted, they were spent. Slowly though they started on what they thought was the direction the camp was in.

It was a struggle but the two finally made it back home long past sunset, the day somehow having disappeared. The moon was high when they entered camp. They made it there by following familiar scents and half-tracking old ones. They were exhausted, starving, and cold. Before even eating the two wondered to the apprentice den in a haze, and they immediately went to sleep, ignoring the inquisitions their kin had about training.


	2. Sibling Rivalry

Chapter 2- "Sibling Rivalry"

* * *

When Maplepaw finally woke the next morning, the sun shone through the den and warmed her pelt. It was nice and she was tempted to stay, but she knew that her mentor may not wait much longer and she wanted to get something to eat before she had to do more work. She stretched out before getting up, feeling soreness all over from yesterdays training. Her stomach growled, and hesitantly she got up, bleary eyed and blinking away sleep.

The den was completely empty besides herself and Ferretpaw, who seemed way too deep into sleep to be bothered by her presences. After a moment of clearing her mind, she pawed pasted him and out of the den.

The sun blinded her momentarily in the clearing, but its effects were quickly discarded for the ravenous hunger in her gut as she went straight for the fresh kill pile and picked out a small rat.

Curling up in a spot nearby, she ate while looking around the camp.

It was a much clearer day then the past one and the breeze was much warmer than usual. It was coming from the west rather than east, and it was unusual so close to leaf-bare. It was had a strange feel to it that sent a chill down Maplepaw's spine, but it was forgotten almost as soon as it came.

The rat was stringy and took her awhile to finish. When she did she sighted her mentor across camp. He sat talking with Wetfoot, Blackfoot, and Clawface; three warriors she found freighting and she knew were closely tied to her leader.

"Look whose up." Cloverpaw's voice suddenly emanated from behind Maplepaw. She meowed it playfully, and her sister came pouncing onto Maplepaw, knocking her back.

Maplepaw was too shocked to react and Cloverpaw had her pinned by her shoulders in seconds.

Maplepaw got over the shock in a wave of emotions, fear jarred her heart and having just been staring at the frightful fighters she reacted unkindly towards her sister's tackle.

She flung Cloverpaw off roughly and snarled at her. "What do you think you're doing? Are you still some mindless kit!"

Flatpaw and Featherpaw, who had been walking behind Cloverpaw, stopped short and stared at Maplepaw. As well as everyone else in the clearing paused to do.

Cloverpaw got back to her feet and hissed defensively. "You're just upset I was able to sneak up on you!"

Before the she-cat could say more she turned and walked away stiffly, her fur raised and bristling with indignation. She was stalking off towards the den and Flatpaw and Featherpaw followed her; while giving Maplepaw reproachful looks.

Maplepaw watched them go, angrily, her own self giving off a wave of hostility. She looked up and found every cat staring at her still.

The embarrassing display she put up now reached to her, and a slight humiliation made her head swing lower, avoiding their eyes. She quickly made up her way towards the den though and was wanting to be out of sight, but when she looked up again the four warriors that she had been staring at were looking directly at her now.

But they weren't looking shocked, like the other faces that were turned towards her. They were only... appreciative and.. calculating.

This confused her, but instead of returning to the den she decided to walk to them. She didn't want to face her sister yet anyway, Cloverpaw could be unbearable sometimes. She shook off her embarrassment, it was easy to hide and she held her body high, determined to look unshaken by the clan's opinion.

She stopped just before Brokenstar and was placed in-between Clawface's and Wetfoot's towering figures. She felt small, but kept the fear out of her eyes again with the fierce look she gave to Thunderclan.

"Will we be training today?" She meowed, looking her mentor straight into his eyes. They narrowed as she spoke.

Brokenstar exchanged looks with his company, then nodded. "Yes, collect Flatpaw and Cloverpaw meet me by the burnt sycamore."

"Cloverpaw?" Maplepaw asked hesitantly.

"It is not your place to question you mentor." Hissed Clawface. "But if you must know I have asked him to train her for today. I have a bothersome wound from a border fight that Yellowfang suggested I needed to keep rested for a few days."

Maplepaw nodded obediently wide eyed at the vicious tom. She scampered over to the apprentice den as she was ordered.

As she entered she saw them gathered into a group, fawning over Cloverpaw, who revealed a small scrape the she 'suffered' from.

Maplepaw nearly scoffed.

The now roused Ferretpaw sent her a scathing look as she approached.

"What do _you _want?" Cloverpaw meowed moodily.

"Brokenstar sent me for you and Flatpaw. Clawface has Brokenstar training you today, with us, because Yellowfang won't let him."

Flatpaw nodded and got up from his place after of moment of silence. Cloverpaw made no move to follow. "Come on he won't want to be waiting then. You don't know how he gets.." He sighed to his sister. Cloverpaw grudgingly got up followed after the two.

Maplepaw lead them through the small journey out to the burnt sycamore.

The burnt sycamore was an ancient tree, that had long ago been struck by lightning. It was many, many moons ago though and it is now used as a common training post.

When they approached Brokenstar was sitting at its base, but as Maplepaw looked up at him she didn't see him yet instead something (the gleam of sunlight in her eyes?) caused a different scene to flash in front of her eyes.

Brokenstar didn't stand there, no, but a different and huge warrior that was in his place. It was the Thunderclan warrior, Tigerclaw.

His dark coat with even darker with shadows clinging to it. There were frightening scars on the bridge of his nose and crisscrossed over his pelt, showing his fearlessness. His unusually long front claws dug into the dirt, itching to tear something. His lips pulled back in threat to revel his sharp teeth, his tail was flickering back and forth, and pale amber eyes were amused and blood thirsty.

It wasn't daytime; it was the dead of night. Not even prey was out at the late hour. Everything was long asleep. The blackened destroyed bark of the tree was alive with fire, dark destructive fire, all around and flickering at the tom malevolently. Hanging in the gray stormy clouds above, was a ghostly, full moon.

However, as soon as she saw it.. it was gone. There was bright sunlight blinding her and it was her clan leader seated in front of her, not the stranger tom.

She composed herself quickly and sat with her kin in front of Brokenstar. The shaken effect the flashing image had given her was making her clammy, but it was hidden behind a mask of calm attentiveness.

"What will we be doing?" Cloverpaw asked excitedly. Her spunk was restored in the travel there, she was happy to get a chance to be trained by Brokenstar even after being upset with her sister.

"Since Clawface has informed me of your nice catches during your last session, and considering Flatpaw's show yesterday... I think I will start you two on some fighting techniques."

Flatpaw stood taller and prouder. Cloverpaw threw Maplepaw a sly look.

Maplepaw, unnerved by her sister, was peeved enough to toss aside the memory of the vision. Instead she spoke out. "And what about me?"

Brokenstar looked at her with that same calculating look. "You'll go hunting, where ever you like, just stay in our borders and I expect a decent amount too." He snapped.

Maplepaw nodded obediently and turned to leave, but before leaving she glanced over at her sister.

Her sister just stared at her, looking torn between saying something and holding it back. Before Maplepaw or Cloverpaw could find out what to say or who was forgiven Maplepaw slipped into the underbrush and though she didn't know it... would never get to know.


	3. Betrayal

Chapter 3- "Betrayal"

* * *

Two lizards and one frog; that's all she got. Maplepaw had been running the territory all day and the sun was just setting into the horizon. She was walking back to camp now, in a hurry. She held her catches high for her mentor and was waiting for some sort of approval.

But as she approached camp she heard wailing and her spirit dropped like a stone in cold water.

Sudden flashes of enemy clans invading camp came to her and she let go of her prey. She spirited forward, she tried to scent something amiss. She didn't know any other clans except Thunderclan and her own, but she didn't detect anything that was different.

As she emerged through the entrance, still frantic, the snarls of anger and grief filled cries were louder and she saw the clan gathered below the piles of boulders. Brokenstar was sitting on top and his eyes were determinedly looking down upon his warriors Wetfoot and Clawface, who stood tall while a hunched over Yellowfang sat between them.

Before Maplepaw could make sense of the scene Brokenstar saw her. His eyes did that thing, telling her something; something she didn't understand. He looked pointedly to the spot in front of Yellowfang and.. Maplepaw went cold.

Flatpaw and Cloverpaw were there. Lying motionless, covered in scratches, and bite marks along there pelt. The familiar rise and fall of their chest was absent, their eyes were closed tight, and Maplepaw know they were dead before she even felt the cold flesh beneath their pelts.

She let out a grief stricken cry, it mingled with the clans, but it alerted the clan of her return.

Her mother, Darkflower, called to her. Maplepaw ignored it though and went straight to her siblings.

She pushed through the gathered cats and stood under Brokenstar. Shock ran through her veins, sadness started work its way into her heart. She was looking down at her them and she saw no form of life left in their frail furry bodies. They were hunting with Starclan already.

"I didn't do it." A hoarse and low voice hissed.

Maplepaw looked up in shock, she was met with orange eyes. It was Yellowfang that said the words and Maplepaw knew it was. Yet she couldn't quite understand the pleading looks the old medicine cat gave her. Or those words 'I didn't do it'.

Of course she didn't do it.. she was their medicine cat. She healed, she didn't _kill_.

"I didn't do it, believe me. Believe me, Maplepaw." She repeated.

Maplepaw couldn't find her voice, the run here made her breathless and then the shock hadn't completely dissolved. Before anything more could be said at all Brokenstar jumped down to Maplepaw's side and struck the old she-cat into silence.

Yellowfang staggered back, and the crowd roared in a unified anger..

"Shadowclan!" Brokenstar bellowed above their cries. "You have been betrayed. _We _have been betrayed! Flatpaw and Cloverpaw lay before you tonight because of this betrayal, they were murdered not by our enemies, but our own connection to Starclan! Yellowfang has murdered these innocent apprentices, the future to our clan."

Maplepaw stood at his side, not a mouse-tail away, with her dead kin at her feet and the raw pain of grief fresh in her heart. She couldn't understand Yellowfang's words, or his. They were all just too unbelievable.

The confusion over ran everything else inside of her.

"These young apprentices were out at my training." His eyes narrowed as he spoke, boring them into Yellowfang's crude glare. "I leave for one moment, and our sweet Cloverpaw falls into a prickling bush. Naturally!" He suddenly exclaims louder, looking away to the surrounding cats. "I send her and the young tom to our medicine cat. When they didn't return.. I came. I saw them and then you did too; seated in front of her just as they do us now!"

His words played out perfectly. Maplepaw saw it; she knew her sister was a klutz, she knew her brother would take Cloverpaw along to get fixed up... and though the cat just denied this, even though Maplepaw was able to immediately believe her, she took her mentors, _her leaders_ accusation instead. Because it fit, mostly.

She was enchanted by his way of words. It fixed the confusion in her.

The crowd was enchanted by their leaders words. As they have always been. They screeched out of raw anger and for a brutal revenge. Save.. there was those few who sat behind the loyal crowd, watching Brokenstar with narrowed eyes.

Maplepaw looked down at her sister's face and remembered those blue eyes. She recalled how hurt they were when she spoke those vicious words earlier. She tried to remember her sister before today, but she couldn't. All she could remember were those last few hateful glares and how she had _almost _forgave her.

They could have made up with her just this night. They could have shared tongues and eaten dinner in peace tonight. Maybe she would praise Cloverpaw's fighting skills and Maplepaw would receive some back for hunting...

But now she couldn't. She couldn't ever. Yellowfang, their murderer, took that away. Maplepaw stood there for a few moments, her guilt and grief was eating away at her until it slowly ebbed away. Only to be replaced by a sudden savage anger.

Without thinking she flung herself forward.

Yellowfang was unprepared, having expected being attacked from behind more then anything and Maplepaw easily sunk her claws into the slumped shoulders. The elderly cat was knocked backwards, the two went spinning back at least three feet, the whole clan scrambling out of the way with loud encouragements.

Once the world stopped spinning around them, Maplepaw came out on top. Her back legs kicked out onto the exposed underbelly, and she sunk her teeth into Yellowfang's neck. She acted on instinct, she didn't know how to fight. She hadn't seen many fights, but this felt natural – fighting – it was like, she just knew, like it was bred into her blood.

The same blood that was pounding in the back of her eardrums.

The crowd roared to her, except one. Ashfur, a retired warrior, now elder.

He stopped sulking in the back, and pushed himself forward, standing just before the fighting pair. "Stop!" He yowls. "This is not right. Killing her would make us just as she is!" His distressed eyes lifted to their leaders. "Brokenstar, banish her, expel her, but this... this is not the way! If she sets foot in our territory again then that is the time to kill her, but not now. Not this way."

Brokenstar stared at Ashfur and his eyes were expressionless. Then they slowly turned to Maplepaw on top of Yellowfang, twisting her claws cruelly through the others thick fur. It was enough to catch Brokenstar's interest.

He could see Yellowfang was over her shock now. He could see her preparing to retaliate and fling his apprentice off. Without much thought he strode forward the few feet and clamped his teeth into Maplepaw's scruff, tearing her away from the fight; just as he done at the thunderpath.

He dropped her to his side and looked at her, evaluating her.

Maplepaw stared forward still. Her emerald eyes were alight with a fierceness that he could not place. She couldn't look away from her prey, there was a hazy outrage in her face. She was blinded by her sibling's death and the resulting fury.

All Maplepaw knew was that she is no longer ranking her claws into the backstabbing killer's pelt.

She looked to the one who tore her away furiously, and met Brokenstar's eyes. Through the red haze that had clouded her vision she saw approval in his amber depths... she stopped dead in her anger for a few second, the confusion coming back full force.

She had thought to see sternness and law-bidding stares, but not – _definitely not_ – approval.

He gave her approval... for murderess behavior.

They stared at each other for a fraction of a minute, before Brokenstar abruptly turned away.

"Ashfur is right!" He announced. "This is not the way it should be done." He turned away from them now and jumped back atop the boulders, looking down at them. "I say this before Shadowclan, before Starclan... Yellowfang is no longer Shadowclan's medicine cat. She is no longer apart of this clan at all…" He looked down to her. "You are exiled. You are not allowed to step one foot back in this territory or I will personally pry your fur from your body. Now go!"

Maplepaw let out a screech then, following after the fleeing rogue. It was expressing more then anger, but there was a howling sadness in it and soon the whole clan joined in with her.

Yellowfang went stumbleing out of the center at first. Her fur was raised with fear and her eyes were hard yet unsettled and bothered by their screeching. She made a slow process on leaving until Clawface snarled at her and chased her, spiriting out of their camp.

* * *

_**A/N: **So I'm trying this story again! Hope it's better this way. Thanks for reading, sorry for typos. PLEASE review. I promise more romance later on! -Taryn(:_


	4. Moving Forward

Chapter 3- "Moving Forward"

* * *

They buried the kits after sharing tongues with them one last time that same night. It had been a long time since they lost a clan member, especially ones so young. Their last lost had been an even bigger one, being as it was their previous leader, and for next three moons life seemed kind of robotic.

They listened to their leader, most of them, and the camp seemed to slowly wade out of the heavy grief that hung on their hearts. Most of it was for the kits and some was for their old medicine cat. Yellowfang had been with the clan for many moons and she had been trusted beyond a lot of the clan members; her betrayal caused a lot of commotion and paranoia.

Her old position was filled by her apprentice, Runningnose. Yet even after so long they still felt the sting of her betrayal. Plus on top of this old resentment the camp was restless from the 'unjust' act Brokenstar commanded.

He had Windclan chased out.

Many hadn't taken kind when he suggested this, but he convinced them that Shadowclan was losing food sources and an increasing number of cats were accumulating. They needed other sources and this is what he came up with; otherwise it is go hungry and starve. The elders of the clan were struck with such sadness they didn't object much and remained silent, if only for the clans and their own sake.

Maplepaw wasn't there at the actual battle, but she had been brought there to hunt plenty of times. Brokenstar liked to patrol the area, so he would train her there and let her run around catching the prey she could. She was still being tested with strength, since she had started so early, but she was six months as of now. She was becoming an excellent fighter and runner, though she was still not much of a hunter, she was on her way to be a powerful warrior.

Featherpaw, wasn't so successful. He was hit hard by his siblings loss, his timid way seemed to increase and their mother, Darkflower, had was taken a great notch down on her arrogance by this event. In such a way, that she always tried to keep her remaining two kits close to her. Featherpaw stayed close very willingly, while Maplepaw did not linger on the loss.. but the revenge.

She couldn't help it. The anger and hatred that built up in her towards their killer, Yellowfang, was unbearable. It was unlike her, yet this whole situation was unlike anything she could have expected. She wanted to rank her claws down the retched pile of fox dung back, until her fur came right off.

Trust her, she tried to shake off these thoughts, but they came again and again. Hand and hand with thoughts of Cloverpaw and Flatpaw. They haunted her dreams.

The other apprentices were cautious of her. She had a temper lately and they did not like her much. She was snappy whenever people pitied her, and Brokenstar had taught her not to let them look down at her. Like they always do. So now not much of the clan liked her either. It was only Brokenstar and his close warrior friends, like Clawface, Blackfoot, Boulder, and Wetfoot that did.

Leaf-bare was approaching soon, and the camp was preparing for it. Brokenstar had ordered lots to be done tonight, while he and others were off at the Gathering.

Maplepaw knew it was a risk; asking her mentor such pestering questions, but she wanted to go. She wasn't too big now, still looked to small, so she thought he would disagree if she asked to go. Yet her curiosity got the best of her and she found herself approaching him.

"Brokenstar?" Maplepaw meowed quietly.

The huge warrior looked down at her archly, from his meal. "Yes?" He replied.

"The gathering tonight..."

He nearly instantly knew what she wanted. "You may come, but don't think of it as an adventure of fun. Think of it as an easy chance to get to know your enemy. Study them and pick up any weakness you see."

She nodded then, and he dismissed her so he may eat. She walked off excited.

Later that evening Brokenstar assembled the others to leave and left the camp with a whole list of things to do while he was out.

As the cats left for the Gathering, Maplepaw hung in the back with Ferretpaw and Pinepaw, they ignored her mostly, but she was too excited to even care.

She ran with the clan through their territory, the familiar as always. Then they went towards the thunderpath. Brokenstar stopped them at the border and brought them to a dark and dank, acidic smelling tunnel that went straight under the thunderpath, avoiding any monsters. Conveniently it led them straight to Fourtrees.

As she emerged from it they approached a hill with light cover, but still enough for others to hang back and be hidden. While Brokenstar and the clan deputy, Blackfoot, peer down at Fourtrees. It was best to know who had showed first, to think before going.

As the two exchanged glances and soft words, Maplepaw felt her stomach tremor her eyes unable to see passed the crest of the hill. She wanted to see this Fourtrees. Her heart was beating a fraction faster then normal with her gripping curiosity and slight fear. She feared the other clans. Of course she hadn't met any before, not since that one little time for Thunderclan..

She tried to take breaths and calm herself, but couldn't quiet shake it off.

When Brokenstar gave the sign, with a flick of his tail, the clan all came running down towards the gathering. Maplepaw went with them, her paws jittery and her blood tingling.

There was only one clan already gathered at Fourtrees. Riverclan known as their swimming abilities and hunting of fish. The clan eyed Shadowclan as they settled into their place. Maplepaw found a spot among the elders, rather then the younger cats who tended to hate her.

Thunderclan appeared from their hill and came down just moments later; having no doubt been laying up there in wait.

Maplepaw, her emerald eyes huge, over looked the Riverclan and Thunderclan warriors in awe.

Of Riverclan she saw only two cats she knew and only by description. Their leader of course, Crookedstar and his deputy, Leopardfur.

She recognized _four_ Thunderclan cats. Their was the one she had seen by the thunderpath, Tigerclaw. The tom was standing with a sleek gray she-cat that Maplepaw knew as Bluestar, their clan leader, by descriptions other cats had given her.

The last two she saw, sat together and were looking around much like herself. They were of the apprentices that were by the thunderpath. With a jolt she recalled her mentor's words and Maplepaw felt she should introduce herself, if only to observe and find weaknesses.

Walking slyly through the throngs of Thunderclan cats, who gave her sharp glares, Maplepaw easily shook off any nervousness or fear.. well at least shook off the _appearance_ of those emotions.

As she went and she drew herself high, as she was taught. But her eyes glowing in a welcoming way that Brokenstar would have disapproved of.

"Hello." She meowed softly, sitting in front of them wrapping her tail about herself.

The pair looked up at her, the gray one was out curiosity; much like her own. The orange one looked shocked.

_He obviously remembered._ Maplepaw thought as she waited for a reply.

"Hi, I'm Graypaw!" The gray one meowed good-naturally. "This is Firepaw." He added, nodding to the flame coated one.

"I'm Maplepaw." She purred. "Shadowclan."

"I can tell, your scent says it all." Graypaw replies.

"And you're defiantly Thunderclan." She meowed, perking her ears up. She liked hearing this toms upbeat tone, in some ways it reminded her of Cloverpaw. It was unfamiliar, but welcome, none of her clan members used it on her.

Somehow her words also seemed to perk up Firepaw and he pushed aside whatever shock he was feeling and began talking. "So is this your first gathering?" He asked.

"Yeah, is it yours?"

"Yep!" Graypaw announced proudly.

Maplepaw open her mouth to say something more, but then Tigerclaw caught her eye. He was glaring at her and she suddenly remembered that visions she had all those moons ago. The thoughts came crashing on her mind so sudden her mouth shut with a snap, her fear and nervousness instantly returning.

The giant tom looked away for a moment, murmuring an excuse to someone beside him and then started heading in the apprentices direction. Maplepaw wanted to flee, but she was stuck. The others glanced over their shoulders at the approaching tom and were surprised when Tigerclaw placed himself just next to them.

Those pale amber eyes of his were scrutinizing her size. "You're a bit small for an apprentice." He commented, almost offhandedly, though there was a slight mockery in his voice too.

Maplepaw was forced to meet the warriors eyes and she knew, he knew. Shadowclan was forcing their kits in early, but before she was forced to reply the yowl that announced the beginning of the meeting interrupted her.

She gave the two apprentices a small considering look, and threw Tigerclaw a dirty look before scampering back to her clan. She couldn't find anyone to sit by until Blackfoot nodded her to his side and she quickly slunk over and plopped down at his side.

The meeting was calm at first, but she couldn't quite pick up on much because not two seconds after she sat Clawface had come over and placed himself at her other side. She hated being in the shadows of the two tall warriors, but didn't speak; she had been trained better then that.

Yet that didn't stop her from getting irritated as the two continued to talk all gathering long.

She didn't pick up on what they were saying, but after a tense moment of silence Blackfoot suddenly swooped lower and asked her, "Maplepaw… what did Tigerclaw say to you?"

His dark eyes bore into hers and she glanced over to see Clawface just as intent on her. "He said I was a bit _small _to be an apprentice."

Her answer cause Blackfoot's face to grow darker and she heard Clawface quietly hiss in anger.

"And what did you say?" Clawface snarled.

"Nothing." She blinked up at the outraged warrior in confusion, but he didn't look at her. Both warriors were now looking across Shadowclan and towards Thunderclan, glaring viciously at Tigerclaw.

_If looks could kill, _she thought silently.

"Stay away from him." Blackfoot commanded.

Maplepaw resisted the urge to sulk or to be happy about this."Why?"

"Don't question your betters!" Clawface snarled and threw her a look as well.

She sighed and nodded obediently.

"Clawface lay off her." Blackfoot snapped then looked back to Maplepaw. "You can't because he is not a good ally, Maplepaw. He is dangerous and we do not want you harmed." His tone threw Maplepaw for a minute.

Blackfoot isn't kind, and this was a lot coming from the huge warrior.

So she didn't want to risk losing whatever respect she had gained. She bowed her head respectfully and the subject was dropped.

The ending of the meeting came a while later, Maplepaw wasn't really listening to the four leaders, but was more focused on memorizing some of the other clan's faces. Cats looked annoyed and angry by the end. She knew that Windclan had been brought up quite a bit, yet her leader did not confess of chasing them out. He was accused, and she heard Blackfoot mutter to Clawface that he was waiting for the next gathering.

She didn't know why so many cats were upset, she was still too young to know much. Instead of sticking with the warriors that made it so she hadn't heard much of the beginning she caught up to Brokenstar as he gathered the clan to leave. He gave her a glance as she came to him, but otherwise made no comment and lead the clan away with her at his side.

The dawn was rising when they reached camp again, but Maplepaw was exhausted and the excitement from the events was still running over her limbs and her blood. It made her even more worn and tired then the travel. As soon as she got into the den, she passed out. The other apprentices gave her reproachful looks, curling up together on the far side of the den.

When her brother came, he stopped at the entrance, and though she didn't know it- he hesitated. He stared at his sister, then looked wistfully at the group of Pinepaw, Ferretpaw, and Brownpaw. It was more complicated then one thought to choose... he had heard the rumors.

Finally though, his mind filling with images of Cloverpaw and Flatpaw... he pawed over to the pretty spotted she-cat and lay at her side. His face rested on his paws and it took awhile, but the timid tom finally fell asleep some time later.


	5. Borders

Chapter 4- "Borders"

* * *

Maplepaw woke up early to take her turn at border patrol. It went by pleasant enough, but it was quiet to her. While the two warriors, of which didn't like Maplepaw, took them around, the two apprentices Ferretpaw and Brownpaw played and laughed.. leaving her out.

After that, with her blatantly ignoring the wounded effect of being left out she was sent out hunting, on her mentor's orders. It was nearly sun high when she was just finishing up. She had a few healthy catches, that were buried a while back and as she set out to get them, a scent caught her nose, a familiar and gut twisting scent.

_Yellowfang. _

She stopped walking mid-step, her eyes narrowed into slits. She looked around and across the marsh, nothing and no one was in sight. But the scent was so clear to her. Her sense hyped, her anger shot up and her fur raised.

She opened her mouth, tasting the scent of Yellowfang on her tongue. It was old and stale, but it couldn't have been from when she had been banished, only after, maybe two or three sunrises ago.

Maplepaw hissed out of fury, _the old piece of fox dung returned to our territory_, she thought her claws digging into the earth, _and she thinks she can get away with it! I'll find this mousebrain, and kill her myself. _

Forgetting her task at hand she took up the scent trial and raced after it. It was far. Yellowfang's path looped around major areas and weaved through obstacles, but Maplepaw went through them all. She didn't hesitate and wasn't willing to lose the trial.

Well at least... she had until it led her to a point that she wasn't quite sure she was ready to take the consequence for. Her thoughts weren't even thinking of this direction, she came up bewildered when it did.

Yellowfang's trails lead her right up to Thunderclan's border heading across a thunderpath.

Maplepaw hesitated and stood a fox-length away from the path, deliberating with herself.

_I can't go... Brokenstar will kill me! Thunderclan will kill me! _She knew, yet.._ Yellowfang has disobeyed Brokenstar's order, she must be punished… doesn't she? _Doubt crept into her thoughts, but it was absorbed with the anger.. _She's killed my siblings! Of course she must be._

She took one step forward._ I should go back and get a warrior, _she though futilely._ It is there job… but- no, that'll take too much time. I have to follow it, find her, and bring her back to prove it_. _She could get away! I could lose the trail…_

She took another step.

_I can't just leave. The clan was endangered by her. Thunderclan... their own kits were at risk. _

She looked down both sides of the path, and there were no monsters. She scented the area, there was no border patrol. Starclan must be on her side, because there was no one looking for her at the time and if she had hesitation then it was no due to the fact that she feared getting caught..

Finally deciding, she sprinted across the path, stopping immediately after she stepped into the covers of trees. She shrunk to the ground once she passed a row of trees. She was waiting for cats to pop out and attack her, yowling... but none came.

Knowing that she had limited time she jumped back up onto her paws, picking up on Yellowfang's trail right away. It was long and winding aging, but not too much time later her scent got stronger and stronger until it suddenly stopped and led her to a pile of rabbit bones. She sniffed them and pawed them, she could scent Yellowfang on them and another scent, a Thunderclan cat.

Feeling uneasy now. _Was Thunderclan her ally? S_he started to back away from the area. Her eyes were darting everywhere.

_This was stupid._

She started to panic and desperately wanted cover. She felt like someone was watching her, but she couldn't scent them... she couldn't spot them. Turning tail, she stated sprinting for the nearest underbrush, but like a shot another cat jumped out of the bushes and chased after her.

The cat gained on her easily, pouncing onto Maplepaw's back before she could get away. They knocked her chest down into the dirt, sending the breath whooshing out of her.

"What are you doing in our territory Shadowclan?" They hissed into her ear, putting more weight on her shoulders and pushing her into the hard ground hard enough to make her ribs throb.

Maplepaw, taken over with sudden dread and grappling for breath, couldn't think of anything to say. "I-I got lost."

"Lost!" The Thunderclan cat scoffed. "Don't feed my that dung you sha-"

"Let her go, Darkstripe."

The other voice came form behind, it was snapping and her mind instantly went to Clawface, but when she was released, her hope was murdered when it was not the familiar warrior, but Tigerclaw who was glaring down at Maplepaw.

The one who was closest to her, was a very sleek colored black and gray tom. She assumed this was Darkstripe and he sent her a sharp glare. While Tigerclaw walked closer to her, until they were just a mouse-tail away from each other. His figure towered over her and she watched him with mistrustful eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded.

She debated whether to tell the truth or lie, but her mind couldn't make up any excuses. "I was looking for someone."

"Who?"

"A cat." She replied bluntly.

Darkstripe growled. "Don't be disrespectful."

"Darkstripe, I can handle her." Tigerclaw glared at him, then averting his gaze back to Maplepaw. "What is this cat's name?"

"Yellowfang."

"And why are you looking for her in our territory?" He continued to question.

"I followed her scent."

His amber eyes narrowed. "Why isn't she in your clan's territory?"

Maplepaw pawed the ground nervously, but her mouth kept spurting out words. "I was gonna ask you the same thing."

Darkstripe made to comment, but Tigerclaw cut him off. "I can't say. Can you?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Maplepaw meowed quietly.

Tigerclaw exchanged glances with Darkstripe. "You don't?"

"No. That's why I was looking for her!" She lied quickly. "I needed to know, me and many of my fellow clan mates wanted to know why our medicine cat was expelled."

"Expelled? Interesting.. so Brokenstar... he refuses to tell his clan why?"

Maplepaw tensed further. She knew if she said yes, he wouldn't believe her. She looked back up at the two warriors fearfully, trying to distract. "Why aren't you attacking me?"

Darkstripe snorted. "You want us to attack you?"

"No. It's just in our clan we're taught to attack; not ask questions."

Tigerclaw and Darkstripe exchanged an amused look. "Yellowfang is here." Tigerclaw stated abruptly, taking one step forward, lowering his face directly in front of hers.

Maplepaw stared back at him for a minute, shocked and then angry. "Where?"

"With us, Thunderclan, back at camp."

Maplepaw stuttered in her anger for a moment, taken back by this discovery.

"She tells us a lot about Shadowclan. Seems a medicine cat that's been with her clan so long learns pretty critical secrets." He practically purred, his tail flickering smugly.

Maplepaw snapped out of surprise and felt her anger flare dangerously, her claws digging into the ground aggressively. "Traitor." She hissed.

Pleased Tigerclaw nodded to Darkstripe and the tom leaped forward. Maplepaw snarled in surprise, jumping back.

Then without another glance, sprinted as fast as she could back towards her clan. She dug her claws into the ground flinging herself forward, making it possible for her to outrun Darkstripe and fast enough to beat the monster across the thunderpath that had been just inches to hitting her.

Once in her own clan territory she fell to ground, just a lump gasping and panting. Thank Starclan she made it.

Relieved to have gotten away, she stayed there a couple minutes. But soon returned to her paws and started making her way back to camp, preparing for a long lecture on borders. It would be worth it, of course. She had information that could threaten Yellowfang and bring about her siblings revenge.


	6. The Kidnapping

Chapter 6- "The Kidnapping"

* * *

"Tigerclaw? Are you sure?" Blackfoot clarified.

"Yes." Maplepaw nodded. "It was him."

"And he let you go?" Clawface demanded.

"Yes."

They exchanged glances then looked up to Brokenstar.

"What do you think?" Blackfoot asked of his leader.

Blackfoot lazily flicked his tail. "I think... my apprentice has defied me." He hissed out each word slowly and precisely.

Maplepaw winced and slowly slunk down to the ground, bowing her head. "I'm sorry. I followed her scent."

"I know you followed her scent!" He snapped. "You should have known better. I have not raised you as such."

Maplepaw and the other two warrior's eyes flashed up at Brokenstar.

"Raised?" Maplepaw asked timidly.

Brokenstar narrowed his eyes at her, ignoring the others questioning stares. "I am your mentor, you are my apprentice. I teach you and raise you to the ways of a warrior. Something you have not displayed. Who do you think you are? Disobeying me?"

"I-I.." Maplepaw failed at words, dropping her eyes away again.

There was a small pause when he lifted himself into the sitting position. "So you say he told you Yellowfang was with them?" Brokenstar finally asked.

"With Thunderclan, yes." She nodded.

"Did you see any proof to this?"

"No, not really." She hesitated. "All I know is she was in their territory."

Brokenstar nodded. He shared a brief glance with his two warriors then looked back at Maplepaw. "We hold no proof that they did or did not attack her. To spare anymore tension from Thunderclan, we only warn them against her. We make their fur raise; scare them enough to kick her out."

It wasn't quite what Maplepaw wanted but she wasn't going to speak out anymore and get herself into deeper trouble. This would have to suffice.. for the time being.

When the next gathering finally came around the remaining clans all gathered at Fourtrees. Maplepaw was able to attended again, but instead of left lagging behind with the other apprentices like last time, she was stuck under the constant watchful eyes of Blackfoot and Clawface. Her mentor ordered this.

As she sprinted with all her might to keep up with the much faster warriors, that ran on both sides of her, her thoughts wandered to the impending events.

_Tonight my siblings will be redeemed. _She thought. _Tonight they will get theirs and my revenge. Tonight Yellowfang will pay... _

The full moon shone over head, shining through the throngs of trees. It was eliminated much brighter then the belt of glimmering stars, but even only dimly seen Maplepaw looked to them.

_I'm so sorry_, she thought miserably, giving way to her grief briefly_. This shouldn't have happened, you should have grown into warriors, strong and brave. _

Cloverpaw should have been able to get her chance at having kits. Flatpaw should have been able to stand proud with his clan, growing to be an elder that could pass on the legends and tales of his past.

Her pace faltered with the sudden rush of emotions that went through her. As a result she stumbled over a fern, and the warriors at her side hissed.

"Watch where you step." Snarled Clawface, hardly giving her a glance.

Blackfoot continued to watch her though, his eyes narrowed slightly in concerned. He could tell her face wasn't formed with its usual mask. "This gathering won't be easy. The other clans will know that Windclan has been driven out, they'll be angry. Brokenstar will no doubt provoke Thunderclan with his warning and his... new request, are you sure that you can handle it?" He questioned her.

"Of course." She stated, picking up pace as if to prove it.

She was curious about the new request, that he mention. She had not been told about anything of the sort. But she knew Clawface may punish her if she were to ask about it now. Curiosity wasn't encouraged in their clan.

When they reached Fourtrees, Thunderclan and Riverclan were already gathered. Shadowclan was late and Brokenstar knew it, but he didn't wait and peer down at them like one would think, instead, he ran down without hesitation, leading the clan behind him.

There was tension tonight, something that she had missed the last moon. Maybe she had grown in the absent time, but Maplepaw couldn't quiet place it. She sensed it, but didn't understand it, It was unsettling, even to those confident looking cats.

It promised a conflict... a fight.

As Brokenstar approached he jumped in his place next to Bluestar and Crookedstar apparently oblivious to the unknown tension about him.

The clan hung back though. Distant from the other cats that looked hostile, but Maplepaw, despite Clawface and Blackfoot's snaps of disapproval, walked boldly forward and sat just below him. Her fierce eyes stared up faithful and obedient, just as she was taught. She was unconcerned about the other cats or the tension.

Her escorts, though hesitantly, pawed their way after her, and were forced to sit at her side. Their tall and threatening figures sending dark shadows over her usually light fur.

Brokenstar gaze flickered towards her momentarily and the same approval he'd graced her with before was there now, but as soon as she recognize it, it was gone and he turned back to the other leaders.

"As we all know, leaf-bare has been cruel last time and threatens us once again." He began not even wasting time with an introduction or anything of the sort.

Crookedstar, the huge Riverclan tabby, looked embarrassed for some reason. Bluestar, the Thunderclan leader, looked angry, her gray pelt glowing in the dim moonlight.

"Your kits died, so your Clans are in smaller numbers." Brokenstar meowed. Warriors of other clans murmured agreements. "But Shadowclan kits did not die. We are hardened to the cold North winds, and our kits are stronger than yours since they are born."

Muttering filled the hollow, as the cats wondered what Brokenstar wanted.

"We have more cats than ever, and we need more prey." His usually warm amber eyes flashed orange. "We ask you to allow Shadowclan to hunt in your territories."

Protesting yowls rang in the air. "This has never happened before!" A Riverclan queen spat. "Why now? Starclan must not agree!"

"Must we be punished because our kits thrive?" Brokenstar called out angrily, silencing the cats.

Crookedstar looked uncomfortable. "I have already offered Shadowclan hunting rights by the river." He meowed.

Calls of outrage came from his cats.

"We were not consulted!" Shouted a grizzled silver tabby.

"I felt that this is best for our Clan." Crookedstar stated, firmly ending their comments with his tone.

Maplepaw having heard this for the first time stole a glance at Blackfoot, but his expression betrayed no surprise at the news. This must have been the request she hadn't know of.

"Besides, Tallstar already refused." Brokenstar mewed silkily, his eyes returning to their cunning warmth. "And Windclan paid. Do you want this to happen to your clans?"

He fixed an icy glare on Bluestar.

"If you say yes now then you could ask Shadowclan for a favor sometime," Brokenstar persuaded. "Maybe help in a battle?"

"You doubt our strength?" Tigerclaw hissed angrily, his teeth gleaming in threat.

Maplepaw snarled along with Clawface.

_How dare he threaten her leader._

"I will consult with my Clan first." Bluestar answered finally, in a hard voice.

Brokenstar just growled in reply. "I will give you until the next Gathering to decide." He meowed.

"We need less time than that!" A large, thick-furred white tom with yellow eyes yowled and Thunderclan called in agreement.

Brokenstar paid them no heed, but instead leaned closer to Bluestar, his eyes flashing once more.

"There has been an exiled warrior recently from my clan!" He called, loud enough for everyone to hear, but the message was obviously to her. "She is dangerous. Treacherous! She will lead you to trust her… do not be fooled. She has murdered two of our helpless kits, she is not to be trusted."

There was obvious upset among Thunderclan and the other cats could smell their fear scent. "If you come across her, you must kill her. Rid yourselves of her as fast as you can, before she can betray you as she has done to her own clan!"

Crookedstar looked to him with intensity. "Who?" He asked. His eyes were flickering toward Shadowclan as if he'd be able to find which cat was not accounted for.

Brokenstar shook his head, then glanced down to Maplepaw. He found she was practically purring in satisfaction towards Thunderclan's reaction and the success of the warning.

"Remember this, Thunderclan." Brokenstar commanded as he jumped off the Rock and padded over to his warriors and Maplepaw. "Remember, it will not be well to disagree!" His eyes narrowed. "You know what happened to Windclan."

With those ominous words shivering in the air, he nodded to Maplepaw and the two stalked off, sprinting towards camp, Shadowclan following close behind. It wasn't the end of the meeting yet, it was rude to run off. His words were not normal, the other clans watched him leave with their fur bristling.. little did they know that this was not over.

As they sprinted towards camp, and they slipped under the thunderpath, Brokenstar hauled to a stop just after it. He nodded the rest of the clan forward, but Maplepaw stayed at his side.

He waited until Blackfoot and Clawface, who had been hanging behind, were approaching him.

"Clawface, go now! Run as fast as you can, before they get there." Brokenstar hissed. "Make sure she sees you!"

Clawface nodded and turned back, running towards Thunderclan territory. Maplepaw watched in confusion looking between Brokenstar and Blackfoot.

Blackfoot looked almost giddy while Brokenstar looked harder than ever, every muscle tense.

"I thought you were giving her time." Blackfoot murmured to his leader.

Brokenstar shook his head impatiently. "There is no time, I will not stand for her disagreeing."

"Well, what do you want me to do?" Blackfoot meowed eagerly.

Brokenstar eyes were still watching where Clawface had disappeared. "I want you to take Maplepaw. Make sure she stays out of trouble."

"Of course." Blackfoot replied and stepped over and made to grab Maplepaw's scruff, to carry her, but she swiped at him with her claws.

"I can walk." She snarled, not wanting to be treated like a kit or have to by any means be in close contact with the warriors teeth.

Taken by surprise at her reaction Blackfoot growled in return. "You-"

"She can walk, Blackfoot." Brokenstar interrupted, though he was talking to Blackfoot he was looking at Maplepaw. His eyes were piercing and calculating, like they usually were.

Maplepaw blinked gratefully back at him and Blackfoot took a deep breath before nodding towards camp. "Come on then." He snapped, stepping around Maplepaw.

Maplepaw followed, but she couldn't ignore the sudden unease she felt in the pit of her stomach.

_Something wasn't right. _

"Where is Clawface going?" She asked Blackfoot, picking up pace and coming to his side.

He just shook his head. "You'll see soon enough."

Her stomach gave an uncomfortable jerk. The unease quickened her heart. "Why wasn't I told about the Riverclan hunting territory?"

His eyes narrowed as he stole a glance at her. "You are an apprentice, you are not to question your betters. You were not told because it was not important."

Maplepaw suddenly hissed, possessed with anger she had not known was there. "And who is to say which among me are my betters?"

Blackfoot halted then and swung a paw at Maplepaw, to punish her for lashing out on him, but she moved before it could hit her.

"I want to know where Clawface went." She demanded, tired of being treated the way she is. She wouldn't tolerate it now, not when they left her in the dark.

Blackfoot snarled in return. "It is not your business! Now, you will accompany me back to camp and stop with this nonsense. Don't think I won't tell Brokenstar about this when he returns."

Maplepaw shook _her_ head this time. "No you won't. If you tell him, he will be angry you brought it to him as his problem. He will accuse you of not even being able to handle an apprentice. You don't want that."

She was right and Blackfoot knew it. This made his fragile temper spike and he growled menacingly, taking a step towards her. "You ungrateful little-"

Maplepaw has had enough; she turned around and sprinted back to where they had left Brokenstar, not even waiting for his reply. She out ran him, by using her claws into the dirt and slipping her slim body under impossible barricades for him to get through.

As she approached the spot from earlier, her mentor was nowhere in sight. She could make out his scent, but scarily. The scent that stood out was Clawface's heading back towards Thunderclan.

Taking up the trail she followed it to right up to the border.

Confusion, fear, and satisfaction shot through her at this fact.

Confusion as to why they refused to tell her he went there, fear for their suspicious behavior and remembering her last trip over the border. Last of all, the weakest of her emotions that she felt at the moment, satisfaction, for the thought of him going after Yellowfang.

Once again, there was a war in her mind about following across the invisible border. In the end she decided to go. Right when she put one paw over the border though, Clawface came spiriting out of the underbrush carrying two kits in his mouth.

He didn't even acknowledge her as he sped right passed. She heard the kits mewling and crying out, she caught a glimpse of blood on his paws, and she knew he stole them.

Brokenstar had told him to steal kits from Thunderclan.

_But why?_

Retreating back from the border Maplepaw steered around and ran after Clawface.

Following his scent she knew he was going to camp. She skid to a stop when she reached the edge of a bush a few yards from the entrance and she whipped her head around, looking for one of the three warriors that had been in on the kidnapping.

Brokenstar was standing just next to the entrance of camp hissing furiously at Blackfoot. Clawface stood to the side, looking satisfied. The two terrified kits sitting in-between his huge front paws.

Maplepaw slunk across the clearing towards them and when Brokenstar eyes flickered over to her, he froze and then growled. He Flashed his teeth at her in anger, then came bounding passed his warriors and towards Maplepaw.

He closed the rest of the distance between them, and then lashed her across the face with his paw.

"What did I tell you?" He snarled.

At first she couldn't believe he had hit her. The pain seared, the three light cuts bled. Blinking away the spots in her vision, she looked at him defiantly. "Nothing. You told me nothing." She snarls.

It was technically true he hadn't told her to do anything, only Blackfoot.

Again he lashed out his paw at her. "You know what I meant. Don't disrespect me."

The second hit hurt worse then the first and this time she didn't speak out against him. Just dropped her eyes and stood there. The defiance dissolved, replaced with shame.

"I'm doing this for you." He suddenly said, in a silky voice. The one he uses when he's talking to the clan. "You want your sibling's revenge, I'm giving it to you."

"By stealing Thunderclan kits?" Maplepaw mumbles in confusion.

"Yes, they'll think she did it. This way Bluestar will actually consider our warning."

It sort of made sense... a _little_. Maplepaw let her eyes slide over to Clawface. He glared back at her, just daring her to challenge him.

"Come on, we have to prepare the clan." Brokenstar meows quietly and they all follow him into camp.

He has Maplepaw stand next to him as he calls to his clan, claiming the Thunderclan has received there punishment like Windclan. That the kits were to be ours now because of Bluestar's decision and they must prepare for a fight.

It wasn't the same story he had told to Maplepaw and she watches him warily. She found she no longer trusted him so much. She felt as if she was finally starting to see things right, that the blindness of being a young kit was starting to slowly wash away.

Most of the clan went with what he said, but a handful of a few didn't. They were upset with this; the kidnapping.

"That goes against Starclan!" Cried an older warrior, named Nightpelt.

"You can't do this." Ashfur, the elder, yowled.

Brokenstar silenced them with a growl.

"It is done. Thunderclan _will_ be attacking, either you prepare to fight or die."

They really hadn't much of a choice, but to prepare. As everyone busied themselves Brokenstar went off and talked to another group of warriors. Maplepaw watched Ashfur though, he was skirting around the entrance and glancing out it every so often.

She went over to see what the problem was when three cats bounced into my path, snarling and hissing at her.

"Where are you going?" Nightpelt sneered suspiciously.

Ferretpaw and Cinderfur were glaring at her also, waiting for an answer.

"To talk to Ashfur." She told them, saying it slowly, her eyes narrowing in confusion.

"What business do you have talking to him?" The slim dark tom took a threatening step towards her and she backed away from the three.

"It's my business." She snaps. They were acting absurd, it's not like the kidnapping was her idea.

Cinderfur snarls and lifts her claws, she was about to pounce when another cat jumps in-between Maplepaw and the trio.

"You don't touch the leader's kin." Brokenstar hissed. His own claws unsheathed themselves and he was on the verge of attack.

Nightpelt reeled back, as did Ferretpaw and Cinderfur. "_Your kin_?"

"Yes. Mine." He snapped at them, and then turning to Maplepaw, he glared at her like she was a misbehaving kit. He nodded her over to the gathering of warriors he had been talking with just moments before.

Maplepaw was unable to form a proper though,t she went over to them obediently; even if she wasn't completely sure of her leader's judgment anymore. Even though she just discovered something she never thought of.

_He's my father..? My father. Not only mine, but Cloverpaw's and Flatpaw's and Featherpaw's. It made sense though, Flatpaw had resembled him. He's always kept us close, or at least me..._

Brokenstar chased off the trio of cats that had been harassing her, then came back over to his circle of warriors. Maplepaw blinked up at him as he took a spot next to Clawface in the small formation.

Brokenstar looked down at her and nodded, his eyes serious.

So he… wasn't lying when he told Nightpelt she was his. Shocked of course, but she was also.. offended? No, not that. Upset.

She didn't want to be his daughter.. earlier she might have been excited to know, but now after hearing all these things and watching him more closely. Her kit-like obliviousness had gone in a slow wave, ebbing away until she was unable to organize her thoughts.

Her face still stung from his punishment for earlier.

She looked around the clearing and she couldn't see Ashfur anymore. Nightpelt had his own little circle of cats forming and they were discussing in low meows.

Looking between the groups Maplepaw realized something, something she had failed to notice. Something everyone else knew, even her timid brother knew. Shadowclan had split. There was no changing it. It had already been happening for a long time.

The problem now though, wasn't fixing it, it was choosing a side. What side did she really want to be on?

The one with her father, who stole kits and drove clans out of their territories? Or the one with her mother and brother, who are against the things her father did?

She could see her mother hissing furiously with Nightpelt, her brother stood under Darkflower's chest. His eyes were scared, his face was slack. Maplepaw wondered what her face looked like..

_Where would Cloverpaw and Flatpaw be?_ She asked herself. Would she want to be on their side?

It was such a sudden decision. It was hard but when she grit down to it, she wants to be on the opposite side she is on now. But it's not possible to switch, not without upsetting Brokenstar. Who said the others would welcome her?

Maplepaw takes in a breath to say something, but then she catches a scent.

It's familiar and it's terrifying.

"Thunderclan!" She yowls, making every cat in the clearing heads swivel up and look to her.

There was no time to think then, because Thunderclan comes spiriting in. Cries of rage filled the shell of her ear and the sound of war echoed after Maplepaw's own shout. Shadowclan's reaction is immediate.

Brokenstar's group meets them half-way across the clearing and pairs tumble to the ground in combat. Maplepaw stays put, watching with wide eyes. Brokenstar snatched the kits as Clawface had rushed to battle and he sat back, watching the fight with his daughter.

It looked at first that Thunderclan would be outnumbered and Shadowclan victorious, but an unexpected turn of event makes it obvious that won't be the case.

Nightpelt's group of cats turned on their clan, fighting side-by-side with Thunderclan.

She heard Brokenstar's hiss of outrage as everyone realized what was happening. Maplepaw was still too overwhelmed to understand. The clan was splitting, an enemy was within her home. The fighting was loud and then her leader shoved the kits into her chest. They mewled and clawed at her legs.

"Watch them. Don't let Thunderclan touch them." He commanded then ran head long into the battle.

Not really sure if she wanted to listen to Brokenstar she picked up the two kits and then bounded way from the edge of the fighting. She pounced on top of the piles boulders. The fight was advancing forward and she wasn't going to let the kits get hurt at the very least.

Her eyes were franticly flickering through the throngs of cats. She spotted her father, easily, his dark tabby fur was like a glaring light in the crowd. He was fighting with a white tom and another one she knew, Firepaw.

Something prickled the hair on her back. The tom, the stranger tom; who had been kind. She watched the fight intensely. She watched every move, ignoring the kits as they attempted to escape her.

She was so lost in the fight she was taken off guard when a cat pounced on her, knocking her from her perch. The kits scampered just as the air was beat out of her. The impact with the ground left her reeling, even more then before, and with the weight of the cat on top of her she couldn't move. Even if it made her spine twinge painfully.

"Maplepaw." They snarled in recognition and dug their claws into her shoulders.

Maplepaw yowled out in pain and thrashed under the Thunderclan apprentice. She remembered him too, not by the voice, but when her eyes flashed open she was look into the face of Graypaw.

She tried to kick out her hind leg onto his soft-under belly, but he was bigger then her and she couldn't even lift her legs.

He lowered his face and buried his teeth into her neck.

"Take them!" She shouted, terror gripped her heart. Surrender was necessary. She didn't want to fight the tom. "I wasn't stopping you. I'm on your side! Take the kits."

He hesitated and then ripped his claw out of her shoulders, needlessly harsh. "Are you lying?"

"No." Maplepaw answered honestly; realizing the truth herself. "I'm not."

Graypaw let her get to her feet, but watched her sharply. "Then why were you standing with Brokenstar?" He demanded.

"He made me."

Graypaw nodded, his yellow eyes slid towards the kits and was stepping towards them when the pounding of paws on the ground alerted the two apprentices. Brokenstar came flying out of nowhere and launched onto the smaller tom, pinning him down.

"Run Maplepaw! Take the kits." Brokenstar cried out, while overpowering Graypaw.

But she doesn't move. She just stands there, looking at him. It takes her moment to snap out of it, before she can answer him. Before she knows what it is she wanted to say.

"No." Maplepaw meows. "No! Get off of him."

Brokenstar's gaze snaps to her in shock. His face was momentarily stunned. But she crotches low and with as much force as her back legs can give her propelled herself forward.

She Collided with Brokenstar's flank, she knocked him off of the Thunderclan ally of hers and sent both of them tumbling forward. The world spun around them, as a blur of sounds and colors; but it was unnoticed by the two.

When they stopped they both hit the dirt with a painful huff. She looked up at him, resolute in her mind. His eye bore into those fierce, withstanding green ones and he recovers from his shock, realizing her betrayal immediately.

"You'll regret this." He snarls at her, then runs off, following after his retreating warriors.


	7. Disowned

Chapter 7- "Disowned"

* * *

"Thanks." Graypaw sighed to Maplepaw, getting to his feet and recovering from Brokenstar's attack.

"No problem…" She whispered back, her eyes still staring wildly after her father.

Graypaw gathered the kits now, and nuzzled the two up next to him. He soothed their mewls and kept them back from the fight. Standing with Maplepaw. He waited as the battle slowly started winding down.

Maplepaw couldn't really tell if she did the right thing… it was her father, he had tried to save her, and he had always seemed to treat her better than he did others.

He did look rather hurt at first when he realized she turned on him, but then oh! How angry he looked after!

Fear tackled with the uncertainty in her heart. He wouldn't hesitate to hurt her. He's proved that before and that was prior to when she turned her back on him. Graypaw looked around for the kits mother when a shrill voice suddenly cut through the air.

"The kits! Where are the kits!" A she-cat cried.

Maplepaw looked up and away from the dark forest. Her mind was distracted from her father and she looked towards the approaching cat.

Graypaw instantly replied to the mother. "They're here! They're fine. Maplepaw saved them from Brokenstar!"

She looked at him in surprise.

For one, she hadn't actually saved them from her previous leader, he had given them to her. Second, why was Graypaw giving her credit for something he could have claimed as his own success?

"Oh, thank you!" The sandy queen purred, bowing her head down to the kits and snuggling them, licking them behind their ears, like a mother would to her kits.

"Great work, Graypaw." A white, yellowed eye tom praises the Thunderclan apprentice, coming and standing next to the queen.

"Thank you, Whitestorm." Graypaw murmurs in reply, bowing his head in just mere respect.

"And you too, Shadowclan." The warrior adds looking away from the gray tom. "What is your name?"

Maplepaw kneaded the ground nervously. She could tell he was a well respected cat and his compliment really lightened her currently undecided spirits. "Maplepaw."

Whitestorm bowed his head to her, like Graypaw had to him, and her eyes widened. The show of a better giving _her_ (an apprentice no less!) a sign of admiration like that was shocking, and foreign to her.

"It couldn't have been easy for one so young to stand against her leader." Whitestorm added, his eyes glowing at her with outright approval. "Strength like that makes a fine warrior someday."

Maplepaw nodded, still in shock, and then glanced over to Graypaw who was positively perky and running on adrenaline from the fight. His tail flickered playfully and his eyes were dancing.

Whitestorm helped the queen carry the kits to the medicine cat to make sure they were okay to travel back to Thunderclan. Maplepaw looked around at the now completely destroyed camp.

Cats with injuries were gathering at the remains of the medicine den, Thunderclan was standing together at the entrance and were currently talking to Nightpelt.

Then she glimpsed that pelt. The face, and her body crouched low to the ground, she was sprouting a fairly messed up shoulder. It didn't seem enough to Maplepaw. The warrior, Whitestorm, was heading towards this she-cat and on the cats left was the apprentice, Firepaw. They were talking to her calmly and so was Shadowclan...

_Yellowfang_

Forgetting Graypaw and everything else that has just happened, she sprinted forward only thinking of the long overdue revenge for her siblings.

They didn't expect her and not one cat looked up at her approach. Maplepaw easily sprang up and launched at the old she-cat, like she had just four moons ago. Yellowfang yowled and flipped, Maplepaw tumbling in a full backwards circle with her, much like her and her father had. Maplepaw would have been flung off, by Yellowfang's sudden blow to her abdomen, but the younger cat dug her claws into the others fur and kept them firmly in place.

The other cats hissed at this, surprised, and jumped to their paws. Just as Maplepaw was trying to sink her teeth into Yellowfang's neck, Firepaw pounced from their right.

The orange tom collided into Maplepaw and she lost her grip on Yellowfang. He pushed her to the ground and then pinned her struggling form.

"Let me go!" Maplepaw roared. "She _deserves_ to die, she killed my sister! She killed my brother! The pile of dung deserves nothing less th-"

Maplepaw was frantic, and Firepaw was calm. There was a claw mark ranking the side of his face and the tom gave her trashing shoulders a hefty shove, snapping her head back, so her eyes looked into his.

"Yellowfang didn't touch those kits." He snapped at her. "It was Brokenstar who killed your kin, not Yellowfang."

Maplepaw stopped fighting him, shock and disbelief clouding her emerald orbs as she continued to stare up at him. "No… no he couldn't, they were his apprentices. The-They were... the clans future. H-He was was-"

Words failed her at the moment and the most painful betrayal of all sunk in.

She didn't want to believe it, but it made sense. The proof lay before her, by this day. By the words her father said when he told her the plan about stealing kits. Grief replaced the shock now, and slowly all her previous anger dissolved, leaving her lying limp and completely crestfallen.

"He killed them." Firepaw, repeated. "….I'm sorry."

Maplepaw didn't want to hear it though. She scrabbled back to her feet and got out from under the Thunderclan apprentice, away from his pitying looks and those big green eyes of his.

She looked over to Yellowfang, and received a look of minor dislike and wavering forgiveness.

"I should have listened to you that night…" Maplepaw muttered quietly, but everyone around heard. All of Thunderclan had gathered at this point by the entrance and were silent, as was any uninjured Shadowclan cat.

"It's okay, he was your mentor, your leader… many had been deceived." The wise she-cat meowed.

Maplepaw bowed her head to her and then Nightpelt stepped forward.

"Thank you, Thunderclan. You have helped us a great many here and I hope this message to be passed on to Bluestar." Whitestorm nodded and Nightpelt continued. "It will take us time to rebuild our camp, and find our stability again amongst the clan…"

"I can make you a promise that you will have the grace of Thunderclan respect and that we will not attack when ones clan is so weak." Whitestorm spoke out and many of Shadowclan bowed their head gratefully, but Nightpelt didn't.

His eyes narrowed and his voice turned into a slight snarl. "We are not so weak… just unstable, do not think of us as an easy target."

Tension flowed through the throngs of cats and Maplepaw glanced up, over to Firepaw; just to her right. He gazed back and his own green eyes met hers, a look of defense… yet curiosity.

Maplepaw continued to stare at him with the same curious expression.

Curious as to why… the tension…?

She didn't hate this Thunderclan apprentice, she had no reason to. Yet, out of the corner of her eye she could see Ferretpaw sending Graypaw withering glares. She could hear low growls coming from warriors..

Did they have a reason? Besides the excuse that the elders were doing it?

What was so different from being in Shadowclan and Thunderclan?

Her mind had been ripped apart and picked at all night. Her beliefs have been shredded, her enemies became the ally and her father has turned into the tyrant. Her mind was reeling, even Yellowfang wasn't the enemy anymore.. everything she looked at would be questioned now.

She looked over Firepaw and she still couldn't see what made them so different. Of course he looked different then her, but even her clan mates looked less like her then him. He slept in a different area, but so did warriors and apprentices when they lived in camp. They each got fed a different amount, but so did the elders from the warriors.

But they were separated, Starclan separates them. They were given a warrior code and they were given their own areas, Maplepaw could respect that.

She could live separately and accept that, but did they have to fight? Did they have to _kill_?

Of course she had just tried to pry Yellowfang's fur off, but the emotions that had been lashing back and forth all day today made her snap, they blinded her from thinking logically. And now that she was clear headed everything was.. well, frankly, still confusing as ever.

The tension started to wan away now and Whitestorm said a few parting words before Nightpelt sent Thunderclan on their way.

Maplepaw was still gazing at Firepaw when they began backing out and before she could stop herself she meowed, "Goodbye," only loud enough for him to hear.

He bowed his head back at her, in farewell. Silent, but slightly acknowledging. He turned fully around now and caught up to Graypaw, leaving camp.

Maplepaw watched all of Thunderclan leave, and then turned around also. She didn't think that Thunderclan was as vain as her mentor used to tell her.. but then she would think of Tigerclaw and they were the enemy again. Her defenses raised- but her mind conjured up Graypaw and the friendly tone he had. It confused her. Pretty much everything confused her.

What was let of her life? Not much, just Shadowclan, her brother, and her mother. But she couldn't sulk, now it was time to grow up, to gather it together... nothing could really get worse...

Her father killed her siblings, she'd let him lead her on to another cats trail. She let him manipulate her, and up until now she had been blind to what was really the right side to be on.

But now she knew! She was gonna fix it, she _wanted_ to fix it. She was going to get her siblings real revenge… but in the right way, not in the murderess rage that Brokenstar approved of.

Maplepaw lifted her paw and gingerly took one step forward.

"Where do _you_ think you're going?" Cinderfur snarled, pawing her way towards Maplepaw.

She blinked up at the warrior. "To help rebuild camp."

Cinderfur hissed and flashed her teeth. "Rebuild camp! More like spy for that treacherous father of yours!"

"No! I don- He's not… I would never spy for him! He-He kille-"

"Stop you're stuttering, traitor." Nightpelt's snarky voice called from behind Maplepaw.

She whipped around and her eyes darted with panic between the two hostile warriors. Her heart beat a few paces faster and when she took a step backwards away from the two, a few more cats started to gather around her. They blocked every exit.

"What are you still doing here?" Ferretpaw sneered, him and Pinepaw slipped into the circle of spectators. The two had always been poking insults at her, ever since Cloverpaw died.

"This is my clan." Maplepaw snaps right back at him. "I'm not a traitor." She added, directing it towards Nightpelt.

His dark eyes narrowed. "You're a traitor by blood. He was your father! We've seen the way you worship him, the way you followed him around like his obedient little… _kittypet." _He spat the word, his voice full of disgust.

"That, you- I'm not my father!" Maplepaw objected, stumbling over her words.

How could this have happened? Hadn't she said it couldn't get worse?

Cinderfur sprinted from the circle abruptly and then a pained and resistant cry reached Maplepaw's ears. It distressed her, because she knew it was Featherpaw's. Next thing she knew, sharp teeth had snatched her by the neck, dragging her towards the pile of boulders.

She was thrown roughly back to the ground, and when the befuddled she-cat stumbled up to her paws her brother, Featherpaw, was sitting rumpled and harassed at her side. His eyes were round and terrified, as the remaining clan circled around them.

Maplepaw spotted her mother. Her face, it was closed off, her eyes unforgiving. Her pride was bristling in the air around her; she was not the same mother Maplepaw had five moons ago.

Nightpelt strutted forward, Runningnose at his side, and then the pair leaped to the rock.

"Shadowclan!" Nightpelt called. "These are hard times we face, we have been controlled and manipulated by those who stray from Starclan and disgrace even the lowliest of cats. But now we have fought back, we have fended off those traitors, with the help of Thunderclan though it was only a matter of time before we claimed our independence." He paused as cries of victory roused through the clan.

Runningnose stepped forward now. "In my time as an official medicine cat I have had received few visions… but last night Starclan reached out to me, they spoke to me words of wisdom. They whispered to me of this event, the fall of Brokenstar. Then the owls, they sang to me. Their tune was clear and Starclan message even stronger… Nightpelt is to be our new leader! Nightpelt will rebuild Shadowclan to its former glory! Nightpelt knows what is best."

Maplepaw shook her head slightly, not believing someone could claim a clan so easily. That Starclan would really choose this snarky, cryptic cat.

Featherpaw coward into his sister, practically shaking and reeking of fear. Maplepaw felt her own panic eating away at her, but she fought it back for her brother's sake and her own.

The clan wholeheartedly agreed with the toms atop the boulders, and Maplepaw could feel the glares building as the clans eyes centered on the two cats, scarcely old enough to be apprentices still. They reached eight moons, just today.

The night seemed to have blurred by. With the gathering, the kidnapping, and now this... the moons still shown over head, the stars were clouded over though. Throngs of gray clouds obscured the beauty of Starclan. The night was dark, the eyes of those surrounding Maplepaw, even darker.

Nightpelt nodded to Runningnose and then jumped down so he landed in front of the two apprentices.

"Brokenstar… was a disgusting cat. He was arrogant and cruel, he forced our kits to their deaths and overworked the clan with his need of violence and control." His eyes locked with Maplepaw's and she sunk away from him. She was returning his glare with a cold look and pressed against her brothers trembling form. "Now here, standing before you, are his own kits. Healthy, well fed, and not a scratch on them. Just like rotten, _spoiled_ kittypets." He snarls, the clan sounds of victory turning into hisses of outrage.

The black tom began circling them now, walking along the perimeter of his gathered cats. "They look innocent, but hadn't we believed Brokenstar so? When he took leader…? We trusted him and we paid for it. Now we have a choice Shadowclan! Look at these kits and tell me what you see. Look into their bright eyes and tell me, you don't see Brokenstar in those depths. Can you? Their very blood is tainted with murder! The poison is running though their every vein!"

Maplepaw couldn't believe the words she was hearing, she had thought the truth of her father killing her siblings had hurt, but this… being disowned by her own clan. The same one she fought against her father for, the one she had thought her very soul attached to…

She couldn't even imagine the pain it was for Featherpaw.

Her mother was right along with them and that was just another slap in the face.

Maplepaw's head was spinning as Nightpelt continued on with his rant against the two defenseless cats. She couldn't help but regret not running with Brokenstar when she had the chance. He would have at least kept her, he would have at least not hated her. Even if the things he made her do were terrible. Because now… with her clan turned against her and her now rouged father out to get her back… what could she possibly do?

Maplepaw snapped back to attention when Nightpelt suddenly leaped back up onto the boulders, his dark glowering eyes back to boring in hers.

"They don't belong to us anymore. They belong with their father. They do not deserve their titles as apprentices! They do not deserve to ever become warriors!" His voice rose with each new declaration. "Maplepaw will no long be claimed as such, neither Featherpaw! As the new designated leader of Shadowclan, I speak before Starclan, and you know every cat by name. I ask you now to take away the names from these cats you see before you, for it no longer stands for what they are. By my authority as clan leader, and with the approval of our warrior ancestors, I give these cat's their new names. From this moment on Featherpaw will be known as Venomkit. For both his venous kin and fatal lack of any warrior quality. Maplepaw will be known as Poisonkit, for the poisonous blood that seeps within her and that nasty temper that sprays the deadliest poison of all across those she lashes upon."

The clan roared with agreement and the two newly named, newly disgraced cats with both the title recognizing them as nothing more than fox dung and the label of a 'kit', sank even lower, hoping for nothing more than to disappear.

Mapl-_Poisonkit_ forced her eyes shut, trying to block out it all, and waiting for the next words to come out of Nightpelt's mouth.

"We have a choice now Shadowclan…" He spoke quieter, repeating what he had said before. "We have a choice to rid our selves of this threat from being manipulated and turned from the inside out once more, we have the choice to ban these fatal kits from our territory, ensuring forever that Brokenstar has no way back into our ranks. We have a choice… and what will you choose?"

"Ban them!" Cinderfur yowled.

"They don't deserve to be here, they could be spies!" Ferretpaw called.

Then to both Venomkit's and Poisonkit's worst betrayal. "The filthy bottom feeders will only cause us more trouble, take our food and space! Ban them while there still young." Darkflower, their mother, cried.

Even more cats continued to mewl out reason to expel the kits and no one… not one… came to their defense.

Finally, as Nightpelt settled them down some, he leaped from his place on the boulders again and began walking towards Poisonkit and she bared her teeth, straightened her shoulders, and faced the warrior with a fierce glare.

He glared right back.

"You have heard their words… and now I speak for both myself and Starclan. I claim this out of the goodness for this clan… the two of you, Poisonkit and Venomkit, are banded from this place. If you step back over our border you know the consequence, you know what we do to cats like you and your father, when you overstay what's welcome. You are no longer a part of Shadowclan, _now get out_."

Poisonkit couldn't believe the words that just came out of his mouth, the moments felt like someone had slowed them down and suddenly she felt lost. She was completely blind and disoriented.

She had nowhere to go. No allies except her weak brother that would _need_ help, not provide it. She had her father out for revenge and a whole clan, _her own blood born clan,_ that hates her because of her relation to a tom she hadn't even known she was related to until today.

It wasn't until Venomkit sprinted from her side, heading for the camp entrance, did Poisonkit notice the advancing warriors, all sharp claws and menacing growls.

She turned tail catching up with her brother easily, she had no idea where she was going as they tore through Shadowclan's territory, running with all they had, trying desperately to leave behind the cats that gave chase.

Venomkit kept stumbling over underbrush and fallen logs. It slowed them down far too much. Poisonkit had to run pressed against his side to keep him going along, his shaking had worsened after Darkflower called out against him and she wondered if it was just too much for him.

Panting and paws aching, but still a few yards ahead of their pursuers they reached a thunderpath, leading to Highstones and out of clan territory. They would be safe from the hostile cats there and Poisonkit tried to build some sort of plan in her thoughts.

But as Poisonkit made to move across it, dark figures, lining across the opposite side of the thunderpath stepped out of the bushes, the moon glinted over their pelts and she froze as she recognized the cat exactly opposite her.

His amber eyes were flat and the darkness reflected them a hazy orange, his scars were outlined against his fur, and a scratch just above his eye, from the battle that had ended mere minutes ago, left blood dripping from his muzzle and matched the blood thirsty look in her father's eyes.

The cats were snarling and hissing at the two cats just as much as the fleet behind them.

Both sides weren't safe, both sides were out to hurt them…

"Out, traitor!" Snarls a familiar voice behind her and as soon as Poisonkit whips around to the sound ranking claw collide just under her jaw. They drag to the side of her neck, viciously cutting into her and slashing down her throat.

A cry of agony erupts from her and then was matched in harmony with her brother's as Shadowclan continued to push them to just the edge to the thunderpath.

Fighting off at least four warriors, best she can, which is utterly failing and leaving her covered from head to tail in scratches and bites, Poisonkit makes the rash decision and snatches her brother by the scruff. She drags him away from the attack, and scrabbles to exactly the middle of the thunderpath. Too far for either sides to be touched, yet too risky for either of the sides to give chase.

She dropped Venomkit down in a heap, and he looked half-conscious. Blood was seeping profusely from a rather nasty bite mark on his neck. He coughed and his breath was coming in shallow, gurgling gasps.

"No. No. No." Poisonkit meowed to herself, as she crouched lower and closer to him. "You have to get up, come on, we-we'll get away. Somehow, there's a way. Please, don't die on me." The calm she had hardly clung to was slipping out from under her now. The snarls of cat's just yards away and surrounding them were all she could hear above the loud thumping of her heart.

She watched her brother, her last link, grow weaker with every passing second.

"Come on, get up." She pressed to his side and heaved, trying to get him to his paws, but he didn't budge. "_Get up!_" She cried louder now, her voice dripping with her fear.

He shook his head slowly. "I-I can't…. you h-have to go-go without me." His voice was raspy and between each word he struggled to regain breath.

"No!" Poisonkit cried and then buried her teeth into his scruff and hefted him up, but then as she got a good grip on his fur, a blinding light flashed in front of her eyes.

No matter how much she blinked it didn't disappear, and then the roaring reached her ears, snapping her out of the stupor the light had her in.

_A thunderpath monster!_

She didn't pay attention to which side of the road she dragged him, but anyway would work. Anywhere was better then there. Anything to get her brother away from the beast.

She wouldn't make it though, it was coming fast and the process of dragging him was slow. She couldn't get there.. there was no way…

Just as it was about to hit them, her brother, somehow finding the strength pushed against the tar with trembling paws and forcefully knocked his shoulder into Poisonkit's. There was not a moment to spare and it was with just enough force to send her tumbling into the underbrush along the side of the road.

There was a great yowl of agony then, and the sickening sound of bone crushing. She felt flecks of hot, sticky liquid splatter her coat and as the cry died with a disturbing gurgling yelp, it was met with her own cry of grief.

He was gone, her last ally, her last _sibling_!

She was completely and utterly alone.

Well not completely... Brokenstar leaped for her just as her eyes snapped up and away from the remains of her brother.

She had chosen the side with the rouges… that wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

Her father hit her with enough force to knock her back and her mewls of grief were cut short. His claws cut into her shoulders and he hissed into her face.

"You see how it is, now?" He snarled quietly to her. "You see why you _needed _me? How much of a mousebrain it makes you to turn your back on me like that?" His claws ranked sharply downwards and she cried out.

"Do you see how cruel and idiotic that clan is without me? They will pay also… oh! They will come cowering to my feet again begging for mercy for what they did soon or later. You see, they're still scared of me, even now. They chase out my kin in fear."

She listened to his viscous words and squirmed under his hold, but underneath she was fighting off so much more. The fear made her tremble, the grief made her shoulders slump, the panic made her blood pound, the pain made her nerves scream, and as she struggled to battle all those raging emotions back within herself, a harder and surprisingly fiercer side of herself was starting to win over.

Brokenstar was unaware of this building strength and sank his teeth into her throat, but suddenly with all her might Poisonkit flung him back, her back legs kicking out and clawing his soft underbelly.

He snarled in pain and hit the ground with an oaf. The surrounding cat's main concern was Brokenstar and so with the distraction, Poisonkit jumped up and sprinted away, deeper into the forest.

It was dark here and the moonlight didn't reach the ground through the thick treetops. She could hardly hear much over her panting and though she knew they would try to chase her she was running faster than she ever had and they couldn't catch her.

Blood dripped from the wounds across her body and it was a miracle she still found this strength within herself. She felt strangely light, but immensely strong. When she was reaching rockier ground, the light feeling increased, and a voice, so soft she didn't at first think it was there, spoke to her.

"_Go to Highstones, it is safe, we will watch over you. Go to Highstones." _It said.

Poisonkit didn't even think twice and instantly maneuvered in that direction. The voice was soft and enduring, comforting; anything that wouldn't attack her would be appreciated in this moment.

Once the trees cleared and she could see the sky again the clouds had cleared and the stars winked at her from above.

She looked at them and then realized she found strength through Starclan. They saved her back there. That had been the ones to whisper in her ear and lead her to them.

They wanted _her_ alive. The thought occurred with a lot of shock reaching through her numb, overrided state. They could have saved her brother also, by giving him the strength. But they only saved _her_ and only asked _her_ to come to them, to a place where she could communicate to them.

She couldn't help, but wonder.. as she continued on her sprint forward… _why?_

* * *

**_A/N: _**_Can I ask you guys a favor? Can you please, please, pretty please with Graystripe'__s and Silverstream's kittens on top, reveiw? For me? Thanks for reading, sorry for typos!- Taryn(:_


	8. Starclan's Expectations

Chapter 8- "Starclan's Expectations"

* * *

"Tell us your name."

The deep voice echoed around her and she spun around in a close knit circle, suddenly uncertain.

Poisonkit had reached Highstones confidently, awhile ago and when she walked into the rocky cave, padded over to the shimmering rock, and pressed her nose to the damp floor… she suddenly found herself standing at Fourtrees.

It was night there also and everything seemed to be stained a pale white from the intensity of the full moons glare. It hung just above the center of the clearing the stars were absent. The sky was a clear, disturbing black. There was no one except herself here... as far as she could see.

So the uncertainty sprouted in her confidence when the voice erupted somewhere from around her. She didn't recognize it, she didn't answer it and it spoke again.

"Will you tell us your name?" They rephrased it as a question, in a gentler tone.

Yet, it still set Poisonkit's fragile state of nerves racing franticly. Too many betrayals have happened today, too many falsely led truths. She didn't know what to trust anymore.

The time ticked by, her eyes darted around the space and shadows of many cats began to emerge from everywhere and she yowled out in fear. Her heart leaped into her throat, and she went scrambling up on top of the big rock set for the leaders. This way she looked down at the approaching cats.

"Do not be frightened, sister!" The girlish and familiar voice of Cloverpaw called out.

Poisonkit whipped her head around at the huge circle of cats, until she located the point where she had heard the voice. Her eyes were flown wide and they spotted her sister. She standing with Poisonkit's three other siblings. Poisonkit froze, and then slowly relaxed, not tearing her eyes away from the three.

"I'm not scared." She meowed quietly.

Flatpaw nodded to her, and then purred. "Good, were here to help."

"_But_, only if you can listen and answer the question that we ask." The same voice that had spoken at first called again. "Now, tell us your name."

A large tom stepped in front of Cloverpaw and out of the line of cats that surrounded the large rock. Her other siblings were nodding in encouragement as the tom was trying to get the attention he demanded. When he stepped out, the moonlight caught his figure.

At first Poisonkit thought it was Brokenstar, but as her eyes focus on his larger form, dark brown tabby fur with ragged patches, yellow eyes, and slit ears. She does not recognize this tom.

His eyes bore into hers and she shrinks lower onto the rock, and speaks in a quiet, untrusting voice. "What is _your _name?"

The tom's tail gives an impatient twitch. "My names Raggedstar, previous leader to Shadowclan." He pauses for a moment watching as that sunk in, then said once more. "Tell us your name."

"My name is-" She cuts off suddenly as she almost said Maplepaw. "My name's Poisonkit."

Glances were passed through the throngs of cats, but Raggedstar only nodded.

"Not for long." He commented, and then looked back over his shoulder, motioning another forward.

A she-cat approached him. She's pretty with a dark brown-and-orange tortoiseshell, distinctively dappled coat, her tail was a striped gold-and-brown tabby pattern. Her eyes were a warm amber. She walked forward, out of the circle, with light paw steps and sat quite distant from the Shadowclan tom though looked directly towards Poisonkit like Raggedstar was.

"My name is Spottedleaf." Her voice was sweet and silky, something Poisonkit wished she could achieve. "We have brought you here, to Starclan, because of a prophecy. A prophecy that had been seen moons and moons before even the oldest of us have been roaming the forest."

Poisonkit looked around the circle as the she-cat spoke and her eyes landed back on her siblings.

They looked well, even Venomk- _Featherpaw_… looked well. Though it had only been, but a while ago she'd seen the heap that was left of him in the thunderpath.

After a few seconds of silence she quietly replied to Spottedleaf, who had been waiting for a response. "What does the prophecy say?"

"That there will be terrible trouble among the clans in the next coming seasons, ones that we could have never imagined. Cats, bad cats, will continue to tear apart the structure of our clans and it will take a great effort from those in them, _leading_ them, to keep it all at peace and together."

She paused a moment looking over to Raggedstar and he gave her one reassuring nod.

Spottedleaf opened her mouth to speak again, but Poisonkit cut in. "I don't belong to any clan. How does this have anything to do with _me_?"

"We need you… that is, the prophecy has predicted... the prophecy did not tell us everything, it's impossible for even Starclan to predict everything. But we have had a glimpse of those who will fight for their clans, one specific person who will be each clan's savior." Spottedleaf told her, hesitantly. "I personally have seen for Thunderclan.. and though I don't think Yellowfang ha-"

"I'm still not seeing where I come in…"

There was a collective sigh among the throngs of cats and Featherpaw was the one who replied to his sister's statement. "_You_ will be Shadowclan's savior." It was quite a strong statement coming from the timid tom. Yet somehow having that statement coming from him, Poisonkit actually considered it for a minute.

Then of course, she remembered herself.

"That ridiculous!" Poisonkit scoffed, jumping onto her paws. "I can't be- I'm not… Shadowclan won't even have me as an apprentice! I haven't even been trained as a warrior and- and you think I could be Shadowclan's _savior_?" She paused a minute, seething, her tail flickering angrily and her eyes glaring fiercely at those below her. "And even if I was trained_, qualified_, they would never let me back in. I'm Brokenstar's daughter, they think… they think I'm tainted by him. That I'll just turn into him and destroy everything like he di-"

"We understand there are to be many steps that need to be taken for you to become the cat that you will need to be." Raggedstar interrupted her sharply. "And we could very well be mistaken, we were only given a message, a prophecy that said something for each clan and their specific saviors. It could be a mistake that we had thought it was you. But when the time comes, if it is you, we _must _know, can you stand up for what is right? For Starclan?" Raggedstar demanded.

Poisonkit froze in her pace and stared down at the dead leader and for a moment the thought that he was her grandfather struck her. Then she shook that off and slowly she let her eyes narrow.

"Do you _think_ I can stand up for what is right? Do you have faith that I can?"

"Yes, I do." He answers immediately.

"Then I guess, _if_ I am the savior, then I would stand up for whatever I believe right."

There was a minute where cats exchanged a few more looks and Raggedstar nodded in consent.

"Then there is only one thing we can do for now." Spottedleaf meowed quietly, motioning Cloverpaw to move forward.

Poisonkit's sister stumbled closer, with the familiar spunk, and she clawed her way onto the rock so the two were face to face. It was thrilling to Poisonkit to be looking into those blue eyes again.

"What you see will be your own, it will be received by those spirits of our ancestors, giving you a vision. The sight of something to come. Few of us receive it here, and when we do get one, we rarely understand it. But it'll help you, and it is all we can give you. It is up to you to decode it, sister." She gave a comforting lick behind Poisonkit's ear, purring these words softly to her, and then gently touched her cold pink nose to Poisonkit's warm one.

Poisonkit gasped as the strangest sensation shot through her. Her vision began to blur, everything around her became distorted and it transformed into a completely new atmosphere. It was enough to make her mind ache with the swirls of color, the changing.. she closed her eyes until she felt everything settle once more.

When she slowly opened them again, she found herself standing in the middle of a clearing. It was surrounded by dens, with a gorse tunnel exit, and a tall overhang cliff.

She didn't know the place, but if she had to guess, it must be one of the other clan's camp.

Color returned, instead of the the white, shadowed Fourtrees. The sun hung high above and beat down against her pale coat. The camp and forest was silent though, there was no other cats around her, and nor was there the soft scuttling sound of prey.

There was nothing. It felt strange and eerily tense.

She couldn't make sense how this could be telling her something. But hesitantly Poisonkit took a step forward and… it changed everything.

The sun disappeared, there was a loud, ear splitting crack of thunder and heavy gray clouds instantly covered the vast space of blue overhead. Another loud booming, sound broke the delicate silence, while the forest that at first had been dead quiet, came alive with fire.

Shadows were cast across the ground and smoke filtered through the air.

Poisonkit took a sharp step back, gasping, and then choked as the smoke filled her lungs. She wanted to leave now, she didn't like this, she just wanted to be back in the apprentice den.. she wanted to forget all of this is happening.

But then she took in another breath, and choked more. She didn't choke on it because it was the poisonous, un-breathable smoke that would irritate her lungs and possibly suffocate someone. She was choking because at first it was overwhelming. It was strangely sweet smelling, musky, and she could taste its vaguely familiar, yet appealing scent on her tongue. Her choking stopped now she was prepared for the smell and it was more comforting to her then anything.

She stayed still as the orange flames continued to approach her though, eating away at the surrounding greenery. As the fire burned closer, encasing her in the strange smoke, Poisonkit suddenly remembered the dangers of it and began backing away slowly. Only to find it now surrounded her from all sides.

The thunder still echoed around, but it was less nerving raking and cringe worthy. Still she was overrided for the moment with panic, because the fire continued to approach, against her will and against her greatest efforts to escape.

There was a far off howl, which made her hair stand up on ends. The howl was matched by vicious barking from dogs, at least three of them. Cries of pain from yowling cats met her ears too.

She flattened her ears against her skull, trying to block it out.

The fire was just touching her, the heat radiated off of it and she found herself panting in exhaustion, caused by the intense warmth. Her mind was overwhelmed by all of it.

The yowls continued louder and were soon met by the sound of hacking from those who are ill, making the chorus of horror all around even more sickening.

To say she was frightened would be calling Tigerclaw a mere harmless kit.

Then the fire touched her fur and engulfed her. Yet… it didn't hurt. It didn't burn.

It was warm, it carried the same smell as the smoke, and as the flames flickered over her coat it was soothing to her, like when her and her mother or a sibling used to share tongues. Like the way another cat would stroke against her side.

The feel of the fire blocked out everything else... and she _let it_. She let the fire take her mind off the unpleasant happenings around her and she closed her eyes, deafened her ears, falling into the intoxicating scent and feel.

But then another call, more specific than the others, made her pay attention.

_You'll be the one who takes all the blame, _

_going down, engulfed in flames. _

_You'll be the one they forget, _

_playing with you, playing that game._

_Don't run away from those who have betrayed._

_They've been living with the mess he's made. _

The fire seemed to retreat then, she was shocked and surprisingly saddened. But the words were unsettling and she couldn't understand their meaning.. yet they continued.

_This is the dawning of personal belonging,_

_with violence and fawning. _

_The sky above will be falling. _

_This is the eve of "I don't believe", _

_that's all you'll have in common._

_The sky above is falling. _

After the riddle of words were done, everything blackened around her, the fire died away completely and next thing she knew; she gasped, flashed open her eyes, and was standing back in the damp cave of Highstones.

* * *

**_A/N: _**_I know that it's kind of confusing, but it makes a lot of sense when you know her full story! It's also more poem-y then usual prophecies, but eh, sorry. :P Thanks for reading, sorry for typos, please review! -Taryn(:_


	9. RiverClan

Chapter 8-"Riverclan"

* * *

"The sky above will be falling?" Poisonkit muttered to herself as she padded out of Highstones.

The dawn was just rising, but it wasn't just tomorrow. It has been two weeks hiding about Highstones. Stay there by night, with the reoccurring dream. She spent most of the time repeating the prophecy to herself, turning it around and around in her mind, trying to make some sense of it. But so far she had no clue what any of it was referring to.

The time passed as she sat mauling it over and she would leave every morning, prowling the surrounding area. Surprisingly there was no one passing through. She expected to see Nightpelt soon, to receive is leader name, but evidence shows that this isn't happening.

This morning she decided it was a good idea to go out hunting at sun rise. The riddle was driving her mad just sitting around and she need a little fresh air. That, and she didn't really think cats were allowed to permanently live in Highstones.

She made sure she was way passed Highstones borders before catching herself a decent sized mouse and then slowly ate it, thinking what it is she should be doing.

She was a rouge now… so what do rouges _really_ do?

Fight. Steal food. Sleep. Fight more. Steal some more food.

And that's pretty much it; a struggling life full of violence and starvation.

Poisonkit sighed sadly, looking towards the direction her old home was. She was missing the feeling of belonging. Being a member of a clan, was more to her then she had thought. The warrior code mattered more, then it had previously. To be a part of something, to be growing into a warrior- that was all she wanted.

There was still hope wasn't there?

Starclan themselves told her she would eventually be something more. That Poisonkit wouldn't always be her name… that she could be a part of the clan… that she could be their _savior. _

The thought hadn't appealed to her much all those nights ago, but now that she had time to miss her clan, to forgive them a little for that night… now it seemed like a dream. A dream that _could_ come true.

With only one thing standing in her way… not being in the clan.

But she could change that, maybe. She just needed to prove she's not like her father, that she isn't his ally. Maybe they didn't see her stand against him, or the night when he attacked her. Maybe she just had to give them proof and they would accept her again.

Poisonkit took one last bite of her prey then jumped to her feet, a new idea in mind.

Maybe _they_ hadn't seen her stand against Brokenstar, but Thunderclan did.

She wondered forward, running as fast as she could, until she met a thunderpath, one that branched two ways. If she crossed one way, it would lead her to the border of Shadowclan and the other would lead her to Windclan.

She had never met Windclan and even if she wandered through their territory she didn't expect to see them either. It was Shadowclan's claimed territory and most likely infested with rouges and those banished with her father.

Which one was her safest bet?

She considered Shadowclan's border a lot, since it was closer to Thunderclan and more familiar. If she took that way, it would be quicker. But she knew she had more of a chance tricking a rouge into letting her pass then those in her old clan.

As she walked across the thunderpath and into the Windclan territory, her thoughts wondered with hope. She remembered that white tom with favor, she wanted to meet those yellow eyes that wouldn't degrade her, and she squirmed to think that maybe she could glimpse Graypaw and hear his friendly voice. Maybe even that orange tom would show his face.. that thought was appealing as well.

It took her only a while to scent out both Shadowclan and Windclan passed the border, but amazingly she made it through their territory without so much as a glimpse of another cat.

It was strange, because all the scents were so strong. A lot stronger then she would have thought. IT was amazing luck... and it just didn't seem normal. Poisonkit had exceptional bad luck.

She was thinking this just as she started trailing around Fourtrees, and truthfully she could say that when a yowl reached her ears, it wasn't all that shocking.

Poisonkit whipped around to see, just next to the falls, a gathering of cats that were fighting.

She can see that there are six river clan cats there, and she recognizes two Thunderclan cats, who so recently breached her mind; Firepaw and Graypaw. She paused in her walk. She was maybe some hundred yards away and she watches as the two Thunderclan toms struggle alongside these two other cats, that she assumes are Windclan since she did not recognize them in the least.

They were broaching the Riverclan border, and it was obvious that Riverclan border patrol was not happy about it. It was led by Leopardfur and Maplepaw knew they aren't going to pull through. As a quick decision, Poisonkit runs to help.

She can't place why. It wasn't cautious like she knew she should be, but it was when she saw the Riverclan warrior slash through Graypaw's pelt that she decided to throw that aside. He had helped her once, and she had come for their help now.. how could she stand back and let them fall to these others?

There is a couple snarls of surprise as she sprints into the battling grounds and then collides with Riverclan deputy, Leopardfur. The two go tumbling over and with the Poisonkit being so much smaller, Leopardfur comes out on top.

With easy grace Poisonkit slips her back legs against the soft underbelly of the she-cat and sinks her teeth into Leopardfur's neck. Leopardfur hisses in pain and tries to shake her off, but Poisonkit sinks her claws deeper into the Riverclan deputy's fur.

There is a loud range of calls then and it distracts Poisonkit enough for Leopardfur to tear herself out of the rogue's grasp. Poisonkit looks over and sees that a Thunderclan patrol has just arrived, but then received a blow against the side of her face from Leopardfur.

Poisonkit growls, turning back towards her opponent and crotches low, preparing to leap. She was about to when _another_ distracting, strangely echoed cry made her head snap up, looking to the falls.

The call came for a Riverclan cat as they were flung over the edge by Graypaw, and it was matched with outrage from the remaining Riverclan patrols.

"_Whiteclaw_!" Leopardfur roars, running to the very edge of the fall. She left Poisonkit blinking after her. She was desperately staring down after the warrior. It was too late to save him though, no cat would survive a trip down the falls.

Poisonkit backs away from her position near the falls, only to bump right into a Thunderclan apprentice, who snarls at her. Poisonkit scrabbles away from the stranger she-cat, but pauses to get a good look at her.

She had a sandy, pale ginger colored coat with huge green eyes and even though the she-cat glares at her hostilely; Poisonkit can't seem to mind her so much. She just watched her calmly, cautiously and she felt strangely out of place in this area. The falls loud crashing water was new to her, the softer, thicker grass under paws was different from Shadowclan's patchy, shorter grass. Even the smells were different.

"You killed him!" Leopardfur suddenly yowls, turning around and facing Graypaw. "Bluestar will hear about this. _Crookedstar_ will hear about this!" Her muzzle is directly in his face, and she spit with obvious fury. If anyone knew what outraged looked like, it was Maplepaw, and she knew this she-cat wasn't going to let this go.

"You attacked _them_. You were asking for retaliation." Tigerclaw suddenly bellows in defense, stepping forward. Poisonkit tenses at the sight of him and slowly lowers herself to the ground, attempting to disappear.

There was a long bout of silence as the two deputy's stared each other down. Then finally Leopardfur flicked her tail and motioned border patrol to follow. "Come on, we'll settle this later, with both our leaders present." Her loyalty won over her anger, her need to follow rules beat the fury and Maplepaw was shocked by this show of control.

They all turned to leave except a dark brown, blue eyed, fairly old looking warrior. He walked straight up to Tigerclaw, his broad shoulders and wide, low-hanging belly made up the height difference between the two toms.

"A cat for a cat." The Riverclan warrior snarls.

Tigerclaw eyes narrow. "Are you not willing to wait for your _leader's_ decision, Loudbelly?"

Loudbelly's tail twitches back and forth with irritation. "I know what fairness is."

"_Loudbelly."_ Leopardfur hisses sternly, walking over to the two warriors. "We're leaving."

"No." Loudbelly snaps to her then lifts himself up on his paws and pointedly looked around at the surrounding group of cats. His eyes trace over every cat around them, his eye flare with judgment when they run over Firepaw, but they pause when they land on Poisonkit.

"Who is _this_?" He asks, cocking his head slightly and taking a step towards her.

Every single cat's eyes revolve around to her now and Poisonkit sinks even lower onto her haunches. They dew covered grass brushed her belly and she shivered.

The sandy apprentice to her right takes in a long breath, scenting the stranger, then hisses in distaste. "She's _Shadowclan_." The word was an insult.

This flares attention into all the surrounding cats, especially the two Windclan warriors, Onewhisker and Deadfoot. They instantly begin snarling at her and Riverclan just blinks at her in confusion. Most of Thunderclan just look at her with dislike.

"What are you doing here, Shadowclan?" Leopardfur demands. "You are far from your territory."

Onewhisker and Deadfoot look ready to attack her. They were still on hostile terms with anything Shadowclan and Tigerclaw watches with much amusement, giving Poisonkit, knowing looks. Graypaw and Firepaw look at her curiously and without any disapproval, but plain shock.

Poisonkit hesitates in her answer, but then finally decides to tell them the truth.

"I'm no Shadowclan." She states bitterly, sucking up her fear and sitting up, straightening her shoulders. She even went as far as looking them all in the eyes.

There were glances between a few and then Tigerclaw replies. "Your scent says otherwise, you seem a bit young to be a rouge. What could you have possibly done to get yourself banned?" He pauses and Poisonkit just meets his stare passively, unable to find any answers that would seem appropriate. He clearly doesn't know. But he looks smug, and nods as if he expected nothing less. "I thought so."

Leopardfur looks her up and down and then asks. "What is your name?"

"Poisonkit." The ex-Shadowclan apprentice mutters.

This raises some interest in the surrounding cats and Firepaw cocks his head to the side, looking her in the eyes, as if outright asking her why that was, but she didn't answer, just turned her head aside. The name is an embrassment.

"What are you doing in Riverclan territory then, rouge?" Loudbelly suddenly hisses, taking another step forward.

The rest of the Riverclan patrol suddenly catches on and steps closer to her also, surrounding Poisonkit in seconds. She stumbles back in surprise and then opens her mouth to plead her case when Tigerclaw cuts in.

"Probably come to steal food from our territories." His tone is dark, though when she looked over at him his eyes were alight with pleasure.

"No I-" Poisonkit attempt to explain, but is cut off when Loudbelly suddenly launches at her.

The two go tumbling around and Poisonkit tries to fight back, but Loudbelly is so much bigger. A harder opponent compared to what Leopardfur had been and the Riverclan tom has her pinned in minutes.

"You should know what happens to rouges that cross _our_ borders." He spits into her face, lowering a paw slowly down on her neck, sharp claws unsheathed.

"No." Leopardfur growls shouldering over to the pair and shoving the warrior off of Poisonkit. "She's a _kit, _Loudbelly. Riverclan does not kill kits, what would Crookedstar say? Would he be _proud_? Would Starclan approve?" There is a moment pause as he just stares down at the grass bashfully and she adds. "We'll take her to camp, for Crookedstar to decide."

Poisonkit stares at Leopardfur thankfully, but the Riverclan deputy just gives her a look of dislike and nudges her forward, the rest of the Riverclan patrol moving into places around her. Making sure she can't escape and they can lead her.

Thunderclan and Windclan watch with little interest, but Leopardfur turns back to Tigerclaw snarls another warning of retaliation and a promise that this was not over with. They would be back with their leaders. While she does this Poisonkit tries to catch Firepaw's eye.

It wasn't too difficult to do and slowly Poisonkit mouths to him. _"Help."_

His green eyes widen, but then look around to make sure no one had noticed. No one had. Then just as slowly and mouthing it as she had, he replies. _"How?"_

Poisonkit shakes her head in response, completely uncertain of how anyone or anything could help her. Her bad luck has proven its point today. At the moment best she could hope for is that Riverclan decides to let her go.

She didn't even know why she asked the tom for help. Maybe it was because it was the only one that was only slightly familiar, even before Graypaw. Maybe it was because he was the one who told her the truth about her siblings, or of course, she _had_ been coming here in hope that he would help her with her Brokenstar problem.. she couldn't quite say why either way.

Leopard's and Tigerclaw's exchange ends and Poisonkit gets nudged forward. She's forced to follow them deeper into Riverclan territory. She tries not to look back at the remaining Thunderclan and Windclan, but just as they disappear from view she glance back over her shoulder at them.

"Fireheart! Graystripes!" She hears distantly from Tigerclaw and watches the small figures of gray and orange sprint towards Thunderclan territory.

_So they're warriors now, _she thought to herself, noticing the name difference.

And what was she? A newly named _kit. _

A poor, defenseless rouge kit, whose to pathetic and pitied to even be kill.

Her spirit lowered now. Her confidence simmered in a pot of shame and indignation.

She follows her escorts blindly. She's never been in this territory before and when they approach a small stream of water and then sees her front escorts wade through it she stops dead at the edge of it.

"Swim." Leopardfur commands, nudging her forward.

Poisonkit throws her a disbelieving look and then looks back to the, no doubt freezing water, with distaste. "I don't know how."

Leopardfur sighs with irritation and then swoops down and picks Poisonkit up by the scruff.

Poisonkit gasps in shock and then burns on the inside with complete humiliation as the deputy continues to carry her across the stream like a kit. The other border patrol cats gave her sly looks of contempt.

Even once they were passed the stream Leopardfur doesn't drop Poisonkit back down. She continues to carry the still quite small she-cat. She was small since she has never been fed properly in Shadowclan, so being about eight and half months approximately makes her look like a six month old. So really it was effortless for Leopardfur to continue to carry her through a few throngs of underbrush and then straight into the heart of Riverclan camp, that was bustling with life and cats.

As the whole patrol entered, everyone slowed down and stopped to stare. Their leader, Crookedstar had spotted Leopardfur entrance and moved to meet her, just in the middle of the camps clearing.

Once they both reached the middle point, each having their own tail of company. Leopardfur's being the patrol and Crookedstar's being an assortment of higher leveled warriors and his daughter. Leopardfur finally let go of Poisonkit's scruff and she fell in a heap right in front of the Riverclan leader.

There was a semi-silence around them, besides some whispering, and as Poisonkit stumbled back to her feet she sat straight and looked Crookedstar right in the face. Even though the light brown, thick-furred tabby tom towered over her and his pale green eyes were nearly as disturbing as his twisted jaw, Maplepaw was able to meet his eyes. It was probably because of all the time she spent around Clawface and Blackfoot.

He looked over her with half-interest and then looked back to Leopardfur and assessed the whole patrol, noticing the scratches and bite marks, and the unfortunate lack of a warrior. "_She_ did all this?" He inquired, with heavy disbelief.

Leopardfur shakes her head. "She attacked us, yes, though hardly effectively. She trespassed on our territory, yes. But we were also found two trespassing Thunderclan warriors and two Windclan warriors. We took responsibility to try to chase them out and show them to respect our borders and then this one joined in." She nodded briefly to Poisonkit then continued. "A Thunderclan patrol came around then and a Thunderclan warrior, Graystripes, flung Whiteclaw over the falls… it was too late for me to help him when I noticed."

There were mewls of grief around camp, but Crookedstar hushed them and then spoke again. "I will think about our retaliation to Thunderclan later… it was this one you brought me though…" He began looking down at the small, pale coated she-cat in front of him. "You are Shadowclan, no?"

His eyes narrowed slightly, waiting for her answer and before she could answer Leopardfur jumped in. "She says she is no longer a part of Shadowclan. She claimed her name was Poisonkit."

"A rouge?" Crookedstar questioned.

"I don't want to be a rouge." Poisonkit says in answer, barley speaking above a whisper.

Everyone stares at her and then slowly, thinking over his words Crookedstar asks. "Then why are you one?"

She paws at the ground nervously and glances up at him and then back down at the ground. "I was banned…. chased out by my clan and… my mother. They changed my name, it had been Maplepaw, but they thought.. they thought I didn't deserve to be anything more than a kit. So they named me Poisonkit."

"Do you deserve to be something more than a kit?" He asked wisely and Poisonkit snapped her gaze back to his with shock and sudden… hope.

"Yes.. I do." She answers truthfully.

Crookedstar looked her over critically. "And why were you banned? Why did they think you weren't fit for anything more?"

This is where Poisonkit hesitated. If she told them she was related to Brokenstar… would they kill her? Would they chase her out, like her clan had?

She dropped her gaze again and her heart throbbed.

How could she ever be anything more, with a father like hers? How could Starclan say she was going to be something more… when she can't even answer questions like these?

Crookedstar waited for her reply, but it never came and he tries again.

"Why would your own clan disown you, Maplepaw?"

Maybe it was the use of her old name… maybe it was the underlying kindness in his tone the made her look back up at the tom, whatever it was she took the chance and decided to tell _some_ truth.

"They thought I was tainted. By our past leader, Brokenstar. He had been my mentor and they thought I was his spy, they thought I was his inside and out." She paused a minute before adding, with much passion and fervent desperation for them to believe. "But I'm not. I was loyal to my clan. I was loyal to the warrior code. I was no one's spy and I was not tainted with anything, but my need to do what is right, what is best for our clan, and what Starclan had asked of me."

The leader eyes that had been hard and critical, suddenly turned calculating and then glanced to the she-cat on his right, who in return looked at him and nodded. Crookedstar then looked to Leopardfur and she too, though hesitantly and looking at Poisonkit with heavy confusion, nodded.

"You answer, wisely and very passionately for your age, Maplepaw." Crookedstar says to her. "You do not seem tainted, nor do you look old enough even to stand alone out in no-man land… How old are you?"

Poisonkit, not only confused weather her name was Maplepaw or Poisonkit, was a little embarrassed to admit her age. "I'm eight moons."

"Yet you were already called by an apprentice's name for how long?" The she-cat on Crookedstar side, who had nodded, asked.

Poisonkit looked over at her and her green eyes betrayed to great sadness as she recalled her siblings deaths from the reminded of how cruel Brokenstar had really been and then said softly. "You have not heard all that Brokenstar has done… have you?"

"We cannot know as much as those who has suffered from it." Crookedstar cuts in, his eyes gazing intently at Poisonkit's. Then slowly as he glanced around at his clan he said. "I'm prepared to allow you to reside here, in Riverclan, but as far as now it will be temporary and you will be held as a prisoner."

Poisonkit gaped at the leader for a moment, but then gathered herself and dropped into a respectful bow at his paws. "Thank you!"

He nodded slowly. "I will have an apprentice watch ove-"

"Father, I'll do it." The slender, silver tabby she-cat with a finely shaped head and bright blue eyes, that had the one at his side nodding before, interrupted him.

He looked to her curiously and she bowed her head respectfully. "If that is what you wish, Silverstream." He murmured back to her and Silverstream purred in response lifting her head back up.

Poisonkit couldn't believe what just happened… she was accepted, well not really _accepted_, but allowed to stay with Riverclan, to live with them. Temporarily, yes, but still… living with them… another clan.

_Not a rouge._

Poisonkit looked around at the surrounding clan and none, besides whispering few, disapproved it much. Maybe they pitied the tiny, abandoned kit too much or maybe they were just too trusting in their leader's decision. But it was okay with her… she had never felt this accepted in Shadowclan.

Silverstream approached her perkily and meowed. "So how about I show you to where you'll be sleeping? And then we can get your wounds checked out by the medicine cat?"

Poisonkit purred in response. "I would like that."

She would like residing in Riverclan… a lot. She thought, following behind Silverstream happily. She wondered why she hadn't ever thought of Riverclan as kind.


	10. Leaf Bare

Chapter 9- "Leaf-bare"

* * *

"Silverstream? Why'd you chose to be the one to watch over me?" Poisonkit asked curiously, as she followed behind the Riverclan she-cat on their way to hunt.

It had been a half-moon now since Poisonkit arrived and she had really clicked with Silverstream. They were close… _friends_ almost. The whole of the clan was accepting of Poisonkit. Only the medicine cat, Mudfur, was disapproving. Otherwise Riverclan had turned out, a much better clan to Poisonkit then she could have ever imagined.

At first she really wasn't allowed to do anything, but lay out in front of the small den they had offered her to sleep in. Now as a couple weeks passed Silverstream was allowed to take her out to hunt, in order to help feed the clan, she also let Silverstream convince her to learn to swim and so far she was catching on to it. She wasn't very good at snatching the fish yet, but there's always time to learn… or so it seemed.

"I wanted to be with you because I didn't really think you could do any harm. Also because I saw something in you, that made me want to know you better." Silverstream answered her, turning her face aside, purring. "And I was right."

"Thank you, I really appreciate you saying that." Poisonkit meows in response, brushing against the warrior's flank, like a friend might.

Silverstream nods in response, pressing against her side more firmly before approaching a narrow point in the stream. "Ready to give swimming another try?"

"Better now than never."

As the two reach the edge of the water, they stop, with disappointment.

The river has frozen over and the stream lay underneath, unreachable, teeming with fish. Silverstream watches them with quick darting eyes, crouching low, and crawling forward. She hesitantly puts a paw on the smooth icy top, but as soon as she puts all her weight on it, a sharp cracking noise shudders through the air and the ice breaks, a crevice spreading all the way through to the middle.

"Leaf-bare." Silverstream sighs, retreating from the water bed.

The wind had been hinting at it for a long time. The cold was coming, the trees were already naked, and the mouse was getting scarce. Poisonkit had never seen winter, surprisingly enough. She was born just at the end of the most brutal of them. She grew in through the spring and apprenticed through the summer and fall. The ice was unfamiliar and only reminded her of how much she didn't know.

Even living in Riverclan hadn't completely ripped her from the reality of things. She was still Brokenstar's daughter, Shadowclan still hated her, and Starclan was still debating who she was suppose to be. The prophecy wasn't too far from Poisonkit's thoughts.

At the moment it was the leaf-bare that nagged at her mind. "Should we go back and tell Crookedstar?" Poisonkit questions.

Silverstream gets lost into thought for a minute, but then slowly nods. "Yeah, he'll want to know. It leaves us more susceptible to attacks and the rest of the river will soon follow, we'll have to rely on land prey soon."

The two turn to leave and just as the two she-cats slip under some bushes a rustling behind them make their heads snap up. Thankfully they were undercover.

"Don't move." Silverstream instructs, crouching lower and Poisonkit follows her example, watching intently across the river, into Thunderclan territory; the sunning rocks.

Four cats emerge and Poisonkit tenses. Silverstream glances at her questioningly and Poisonkit mouths to her. "I know them…"

And she did, or at least two of them she knew.

It was Fireheart and Graystripe, with two younger apprentices at their tails. One was a small,fluffydark gray she-cat with enormous bright blue eyes. Something about those eyes twinged at Poisonkit's mind. The apprentice couldn't be two months younger then her an those eyes reminded her of Cloverpaw's. Over flowing with enthusiasm. The other is a long legged, golden brown tabby tom with warm amber eyes.

They carried no prey, but Poisonkit could hear both the warriors mutter hunting advice to the younger ones. The two she-cats across the river watch for a while, making sure that there wasn't anything going on. After a long time of just seeing them practicing their crouches and techniques, and then some lying out on a warm rocks, the two decided there wasn't much going on here.

Silverstream turned to lead them back to camp when abruptly the apprentice she-cat suddenly shouted, "The rivers frozen!" She was gushing with glee and spiking curiosity. Poisonkit whips around to watch as the small cat hop over to the river's ledge and then slip over the surface of it's icy sheet.

Silverstream hissed under her breath, not only out of anger that the Thunderclan cat crossed her border, but out of worry for the apprentice as well.

"Cinderpaw!" Fireheart yowls after her, both him and Graystripes came bounding towards her now.

"It's okay! It holds, don't worry. Plus I don't see any Riverclan cats…. but look! Look how easy it is to cross the river!" Cinderpaw mewls excitedly standing at the opposite ledge.

Graystripes reaches the river first and glides over the surface, he was running to fast to crack it. He snatched the rebellious apprentice and tossed her back to the Thunderclan side, but as he slows down in his fleeting pace to get himself back over, his weight becomes too burdensome for the ice and it breaks right under her paws.

"Fireheart!" The gray tom calls just before his head goes under the top of the water.

But Fireheart freezes, as does the two apprentices, watching their fellow clan mate drown in the strength of the freezing river. They didn't know what to do, they didn't swim. Fireheart looked at war, he couldn't seem to catch his thoughts. He was half scolding Cinderpaw, half panicking.

Graystripes tries. He paddles against the strong pull and gasps for any available air, but it over powers him and his awkward strokes. His fur's far too thin for the waters coldness and it numbs him, cramping his limbs.

Poisonkit is beside herself in panic as well, and wanted to help. She jumps to her paws and leaps out of the bushes with ever intent to help, but as she reaches the edge of the river, she knows she isn't prepared for taking on the tide, not when it's like this.

Two awkward swimming cats in the freezing river, just didn't sound like a good idea.

"Silverstream!" She calls and the Riverclan warrior, who had been frozen before, snaps back to life and blinks. "Help him!" Poisonkit cries and this time, Silverstream moves. She emerges from the bushes, and swiftly ducks into the water.

Graystripes has lost most of his fight and didn't struggle, but Silverstream still has a little trouble calming him and grasping him. Once she's got a hold of him, she moves him towards shore with strong and sure body movements.

When she drags him out of the water, coughing out water and sputtering for air, Fireheart comes back to himself. "Thank you." He murmurs, coming to Graystripes side and looking down at his friend in concern.

"You idiot!" Silverstream spat, flattening her ears and ignoring Fireheart's thanks. "What are you doing in my territory?"

"Drowning?" Replied Graystripes, coughing out some water.

The silver tabby flicked her tail, and Fireheart saw a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "Can't you drown yourself in your own territory?"

Graystripe's whiskers twitched. "Ah, but who would rescue me there?" He rasped.

Silverstream doesn't respond this time, flickering her tail slowly, the sternness though had disappeared from her eyes.

Poisonkit watches from across the river calmly, but as a chilly wind from behind her carries the scent of a border patrol, she suddenly hisses. "Silverstream! Leopardfur."

The Riverclan warrior darts her eyes upwards and then quickly back down to Graystripes. "Promise me it won't happen again. I won't tell, neither will Maplepaw."

"Promise." Graystripes immediately replies, stumbling to his paws.

At the mention of the name Maplepaw, Fireheart's eyes flicker across the river to Poisonkit. She nods to him and he steps forward.

"You're staying with Riverclan?" Fireheart asks, having wondered what happened to her. He wondered why she wasn't still with Shadowclan from the last time he had seen the strange she-cat. _Hadn't she asked him for help?_ He recalls.

Silverstream wades through the river now, heading back towards her clan's side of the border. She was watching, like all the other surrounding companions, the exchange between the two unlikely cats.

Poisonkit shrugs slightly. "For now.." She says hesitantly, though for some reason she can't find herself tearing her eyes away from his.

She wants to tell him. Oddly enough. She didn't tell Silverstream, or.. well who else had ever paused to listen anyway? But she never wanted a friend before. She never wanted to share things. Now she did, to tell that tom what happened to her clan, what Starclan has told her.. all of it.

_Why_?

Because he always seems to be there… like on her first outing as an apprentice. He was there and he noticed her almost instantly. He was at her first gathering, at her first battle, he was the one who told her about her father and the truth of her sibling's death, he had been there when Riverclan took her, and now here he was... _again_.

It didn't strike her how odd that was. Things have stopped shocking Poisonkit, after the father event, the betrayals and the amount of people who have either turned their backs on her or accepted her, she doubted this tom could ever bring her any amount of surprise.

But she couldn't tell him, now, with a river separating them and all the others. Plus, who said he even wanted to listen? Maybe he was just as peeked about the strange encounters as she was.

Poisonkit, turned away from him then. She had enough nagging at her thoughts. Silverstream clawed herself out of the river and the two ran back towards camp, hoping to outrun the border patrol.

They assumed Thunderclan disappeared as well, because later that evening Leopard mentioned nothing of running into Thunderclan on border patrol. Silverstream did report to Crookedstar about the freezing river and the threat of leaf-bare, he was not very happy, but who would be?

Slowly... leaf-bare started to come faster across the land and much stronger. The river was freezing over everywhere and food was dwindling. Cats and kits starve. Poisonkit decided she hated this season and a strange poison has reached the fish, causing sickness to spread.

It worried Poisonkit greatly and it was impossible to tell which fish was good enough to eat or not, so it was never known who would fall ill next. Silverstream has been disappearing and that worried her too. The silver she-cat had always reported that she was just going out to hunt, and trying to finding good prey, but she never returned with any and she never looked exceptionally sad about it either.

Poisonkit spent most of her time following Leopardfur around, trying to help the clan in any way possible. It's the least she can do considering she had been an extra mouth to feed for so long, (it's been two moons now) but she can feel their stares lingering on her. She knows they see her as a problem now, more of a burden then before.

She was sadder then before, having less time to contemplate the riddle and even less to spend it with her friend, Silverstream. It was a chilly day, a terrible overcast, it was nearing the next full moon and Poisonkit dreaded its coming. Those only brought bad things.

She was ordered out to hunt by Leopardfur, but as she was about to leave the clearing, Leopardfur approaches her again, asking her to wait a moment.

"Maplepaw, where's Silverstream?" The Riverclan deputy questions, suspiciously.

She too must have noticed the frequent absences of the leader's daughter.

Poisonkit shrugged casually. Lying was easy. "She told me to meet her out hunting, at noon, by the sunning rocks." It isn't true, but that  
was where she was planning on going and she owed it to Silverstream to lie.

Leopardfur's ear twitched and her icy blue orbs give away to her disbelief in this lie. "Tell her I would like to see her before sunset tonight."

Poisonkit bows her head respectfully and then bounds out of camp, picking up on a trail of Silverstream's scent.

Once she reaches the ending point, or at least of her following it, it leads her to the point they were at the last time they went hunting together; near the sunning rocks. But it continues forward into Thunderclan territory and Poisonkit's stomach gives an uncomfortable jerk.

It's oddly and disturbingly familiar, following yet another trial into Thunderclan. Would she never be free of this damned place?

Should she go after Silverstream? Or would it blow back up in her face, get her kicked out of yet another clan? The thought terrified her. She wouldn't make it as a rouge, Thunderclan has Tigerclaw, Shadowclan has Nightstar now, and Windclan hates everything Shadowclan, no matter how disowned.

This was her last chance, Riverclan was her only safe haven. But Silverstream had helped her, like a mentor, a _friend _for the past two moons. She learned all the things she had never started with Brokenstar. Her loyalty fought with the ebbing want to follow the rules. Breaking them has never gotten her anywhere, but this was different... wasn't it?

And weren't people waiting for Silverstream? Wouldn't they come looking too? Wouldn't they find this trail just as Poisonkit had?

Then _Silverstream_ could get kicked out.

Poisonkit wouldn't allow it. To see her kindhearted friend thrown out of her blood clan was so outraging she hissed to herself. She didn't want someone like Silverstream to understand the pain she felt. She hated doing it, but slowly, crouching low to the ice she scrambled over the frozen river. It was stronger than last time and it held, but she'd have to find a better way back over for sure.

Once she was in Thunderclan territory, she slipped into the nearest underbrush. Picking up Silverstream's scent much more strongly then before. She was still keeping low to the ground as she crawled forward, she could pick up on a lot of different Thunderclan scents, but this _was_ a border and it could have been scented just earlier today.

Then she heard soft muttering and Poisonkit bared her teeth, picking up her pace. She was nearing the talking. It lay just a couple trees away, her hair was prickling though- her instincts reacted and she shot up straight when out of nowhere a tom pounced at her.

She almost yelps out loud, but held back from making noise as they knocked her on her back. The tom pinned her and in the shadows behind the tree, where they were hidden, she had to narrow her eyes slightly to catch a clear look at Fireheart.

"What are you doing here?" Poisonkit demanded, quietly, trying to squirm out of his hold.

His green eyes, which had been bouncing around the surrounding area, look down to hers and he glares. "_Me? _This is my territory. What are _you_ doing here?

"Looking for someone." She hissed, and then she felt something tighten in her chest. This was sounding frighteningly close to what already happened.

His glare wavered for a minute, his eyes looking around once more. "I am too."

Poisonkit cocked her head to the side, deciding that it was no use trying to get out from under his paws. "Who...? Graystripes?"

"Yeah." Fireheart mumbled and then stepped off of her, watching as she got back up, shooting him a look while doing so. He hesitated, worried about sharing too much, but then heedlessly added. "Graystripe's been leaving a lot lately."

Poisonkit closed her eyes for a minute in silent horror. "So has Silverstream."

There was silence and they both could hear the murmuring a few yards away. Once Poisonkit open her eyes again, Fireheart stared right back at her and slowly she nodded. Both of them silently agreeing to advance.

Crouching low and both looping around the tree on different sides, Fireheart went in the direction so he could circle around the cats and Poisonkit stayed on the opposite side so they had them from two points.

When they were in place, they both slipped through the bushes and caught sight of their friends.

Graystripes and Silverstream had their heads bent close, bodies pressed together and tails wrapped around the other's. The two's eyes flashed up at Fireheart, who had frozen in shock, and Poisonkit who was on the verge of complete panic. This whole situation was _not_ good.

"Silverstream!" Poisonkit, half-whined and half-scolded. "What are you doing?"

The gray she-cat made to move towards Poisonkit. "Wait, you have to un-"

"Graystripes, this is what you've abandoning your clan for?" Fireheart suddenly demanded, dropping into a hunting position and his fur rising in threat.

"No, I'm not abandoning anything." The Thunderclan warrior instantly protested.

"And you expect m-" Fireheart began in retort, but Poisonkit couldn't bear to stand here and listen, watching as a fight unfolds. Each passing moment spent in Thunderclan territory was another chance of getting caught.

She stepped forward and shoved Silverstream from behind. "Go, home, now."

Silverstream didn't object, but she meowed something quietly to Graystripes before taking off, which caused Fireheart to hiss at her. Poisonkit stopped only for a moment to look at Fireheart and snarl. "Keep him away from her. I won't allow this to be the cause of a good cat being kicked from their clan."

He gave her one solemn nod and then she took off after Silverstream.

Silverstream led Poisonkit upstream some, until they came across a very thickened frozen over patch of ice and they scrambled over to Riverclan territory. They stopped, both panting, once they were in a safer area and Poisonkit instantly went off on her.

"What are you thinking!" She yowls, her green eye flashing. "You know that is against all-"

"I know, Maplepaw." Silverstream interrupted, her meow a distressed whisper. "But I love him. I've been seeing him for a long time now. Just because I love him does not take my loyalty from my clan, you of all people should be able to understand misinterpretation about these kinds of situations. Please hear me out."

Poisonkit tried not to let that offend her and took a deep breath. She calmed herself, not tearing eye from Silverstream's. She sat down, curling her tail about her and waited. "I'll listen."

Silverstream relaxed and sighed. "Thank you." She murmured, sitting also, her fur lying back down. "I know you won't approve or accept it, but I'm not going to stop meeting with hi-"

"You could get in a lot of trouble, Silverstream." Poisonkit interrupted, despite herself.

"And when, or _if_, that happens I will take any punishment that is delivered." The Riverclan warrior replied calmly.

Poisonkit tensed. How could anyone so carelessly throw away something like this? Break rules like these, which threatened their very place in the clan? Even she wouldn't have done something like this, not that she thought, and she was still kicked out of her very own clan.

"I-I just don't want to see you banned, like myself." Poisonkit murmured.

Silverstream purred slightly, licking Poisonkit behind the ear. "I won't. And Shadowclan was blind to lose such a highly potential warrior. You have Riverclan now."

"For how long?" Poisonkit hissed, her eyes narrowing. "How long until your father tires of feeding me? Until the clan starts to feel threatened by my presences?"

She knew she was being a bit harsh, but it was a result of the fear coiling in her stomach. She couldn't stand not having permanent hold anywhere. The threat of her father among the forest still sat in the forefront of her mind and the worst part of that is that she worried him and his followers would invade Riverclan.

It was a war inside herself of a sort, whether it was better to let them kick her out or to let herself stay.

Silverstream shook her head. "I'll stick up for you, Crookedstar still listens to me some."

"Thanks." Poisonkit meowed, not really holding much faith in that promise. Then looked up at the she-cat, noticing the lowering sun behind her, instantly remembering something. "Leopardfur wanted to see you. She'll be waiting at camp."

Silverstream nods, turning to go and Poisonkit stepped up to her side as she said. "Thanks for not attacking them. They are really good guys, even when they can be a little.. over zealous."

Poisonkit snorted, but made no comment.

* * *

_**A/N: **For those who don't know this is like my millionth update today. :P Please someone review? I haven't got one! I hope it's an okay story at least. I know there isn't much romance right now, but it's building. It can be instant. I don't want to make Fireheart move passed Spottedleaf in like a snap nor do I want Sandstorm to be neglected. (Though in all honest I HATE that she-cat. Not Spottedleaf, I love her.) So yeah, more romance, more action later. Hope this is good, thanks for reading, sorry for typos. Review? -Taryn(:_


	11. Protective Nature

Chapter 10- "Protective Nature"

* * *

"There you are!" Leopardfur yowled from across the camp clearing, as Silverstream and Poisonkit emerged through camp entrance. "I thought I told you before sunset!"

Poisonkit glanced to the sky and the sun was just falling below the horizon. They met Leopardfur in somewhat the middle of camp and she mumbled. "Sorry." Looking hardly shameful at all.

Leopardfur's eyes narrow at her and then she looked to Silverstream. "Your father asked me to tell you that you will be taking charge of the clan while we travel to Highstones."

"Why is he going? There's a full moon tomorrow night, will he make it back in time?" Silverstream asked, a suddenly serious and demeaning exterior becoming her.

"He needs console from Starclan, about this leaf bare. So many have died already and he seeks some words. Mudfur hasn't been able to contact Starclan in some time." She paused there and her eyes slide over to Poisonkit for a moment, before continuing. "He'll be back before the moon."

Silverstream nodded. "Then I will be here. It's always an honor to protect my clan."

"Good." Leopardfur meowed, and then her eyes flickered back to Poisonkit and remained there. "Crookedstar also asked that you come with us."

"_Me_?" Poisonkit inquired. She hadn't even gone with her original clan!

"Yes, _you_. He has asked for myself, you, and Mudfur to accompany him. We are to meet him now, outside the Mudfur's den for the herds we need for travel."

Poisonkit watched Leopardfur walk away for a minute. Her mind was reeling again, was this her bad luck at work? She had to forced her paws to move, following behind the deputy and it was all in a slight daze. _Why would they bring her?_ She wasn't even a part of their clan… she wasn't even a named apprentice!

"Ah… thank you Leopardfur." Crookedstar voice suddenly echoed around them and Poisonkit watched him with wide, confused eyes. He took note and nodded to a pile of herds. "Eat those."

She complied and swallowed them down slowly, they had a bitter taste. She would much rather be eating a nice fresh kill, but didn't dare complain. Leopardfur had one of her own pile and Mudfur did too. When she was done Poisonkit sat back up looking at the Riverclan leader.

"I have made all the preparations for us, we may leave at anytime." Leopardfur murmured.

"Good." Crookedstar replied, getting up and heading towards the camp entrance. Poisonkit sighed, her shoulders drooped- she was hoping for an explanation, and she knew by the look on his face he wouldn't be giving her one. "Then we leave now."

It was longer journey then Poisonkit expected. Having been so close to Highstones while in Shadowclan, she hadn't even thought about how much work it would have taken for other clans to get there. She didn't want to think about how long it would take Thunderclan since they were the farthest away... by the time they even reached the thunderpath near by, her pads her aching.

They needed to cross and the cars seemed heavy this night. The sunset had long passed and the nearly full moon overhead gave off a lot of light. She could tell every other cat was in some sort of discomfort, being older then she.

Disregarding the labor it was on her body walking there, her mind was even more stressed. All she could think about was her brother, how he was murdered on a thunderpath, _this _thunderpath. The one that was right in front of her. Passing it made her skittish and Leopardfur was throwing her guarded looks. Poisonkit couldn't quite shake the images of her yowling clan and her father's murderous glare.

They made it at Highstones familiar base with the moon directly over.

When they approached Crookedstar stopped at the entrance, he nodded for Mudfur, and only the medicine cat, to follow him inside. Leopardfur and Poisonkit sat outside; guarding.

It was quiet and only the sounds of late night insects and creatures were around them. Leopardfur was sitting rigid, her eyes bright, and her muscles coiled; ready for anything. Poisonkit on the other hand gave way to her exhaustion and lay on the rock, her head propped up on her paws. She had hung out at Highstones long before this and her mind told her that it was safe.

"You really shouldn't be so unprepared." Leopardfur disapproved, looking at the young one instead of around them. "What would you do if someone attacked?"

"Then I would get up." Poisonkit retorted, not even bothering to look at the deputy, but instead her eyes were tracking a cricket. It was jumping around the grass blades and sharp rocks, a couple feet away.

Leopardfur's tail flicked. "And what if you were too late and pinned down already?"

Poisonkit almost rolled her eyes, but then some other movement besides the cricket made her eyes widen. "Stop talking." She hissed.

"Excuse me." Leopardfur growls. "You are lucky to be even here, you do-"

Poisonkit wasn't listening though instead she suddenly pounced up and leaped at Leopardfur. She knocked the unsuspecting deputy from her place on the boulder and the two hit the ground below, Poisonkit holding Leopardfur down by the chest.

Before even a second passed another cat jumped from behind a pile of rocks, up to where Leopardfur was mere moments ago. Their claws screeched against the rocks out surface and the cat snarled at the miss. Leopardfur huffed under Poisonkit's forceful hold, but the she-cat looked only towards the one on the rock as they were readying to try again.

Poisonkit pushed off of Leopardfur and growled at the familiar warrior, Blackfoot, and then when he tried to jump at Leopardfur again she leaped up at him mid-air. She managed to knock him off course and hit him against the boulders below the Highstones entrance. They came rolling and tumbling back to the dirt, sharp rocks nipping the flesh under their fur.

They scrambled to get back up and Blackfoot sneered at her. "Still the sam-"

Poisonkit didn't let him finish whatever it was he was going to say, she couldn't let him or Leopardfur would know something was up. Instead she launched at him, her claws swinging and catching along the side of his face.

He snarls and easily knocks the young cat off her feet, then his glaring eyes locked with Leopardfur's. The deputy was back up and ready to fight, but Poisonkit wasn't going to lie down for this fight, she bounced back up and growled loud enough to turn back Blackfoot's attention.

"Leave, _now." _She commanded, tensing and her hair standing on end.

Blackfoot eyes narrowed and then he jumped at her, but she was smaller, swifter and she swept out of his way. She was too fast and he landed in the dirt, scrabbling back up to his feet. He tried to leap again and Poisonkit ducked under his hit. With a quick thought she lifted her paw and ranked her claws against the exposed underbelly of his as he fell overhead.

It was a critical hit and he yowled in response, out of pain and rage. Blood was spilling across the ground, dripping from his fur. Leopardfur stepped up and tried to push passed Poisonkit. She wanted to defend like she was told, but Poisonkit hissed at her also, warning her this was _her_ fight.

Because this did run deeper then just a rouge attacking clan cats, like Leopardfur thought this was. This was Poisonkit's father right hand man. This was a tom she had trusted for a time, a friend almost (before she learned what a friend really was) and he is trying to attack her new friends, her new clan deputy. It was personal to Poisonkit, her mind was outraged; she was overly protective at this moment, of this Riverclan deputy.

Blackfoot caught her off guard then, since she was distracted by fending off Leopardfur and he got her down on her back. Poisonkit kicked out her paws with no avail and he started to meow with laughter, a vicious swipe delivered across her neck.

Poisonkit squirmed in agony and the hot blood began to trickle down her body. She looked up at Blackfoot and his eyes flashed, but then her eyes caught another movement, which made her heart jump. Just behind his head, up on the boulder; she saw a cat emerge into the cave.

Leopardfur finally joined in, without Poisonkit holding her back and she knocked Blackfoot clean off of the lighter coated she-cat before he could deliver a killing blow. Poisonkit didn't even wait to thank her, or consider the searing wound on her neck, instead she scrambled up onto the boulder again and sprinted into Highstones.

She could detect his, _Brokenstar's_, scent clearly and the hair on her spine raised, a growl threatening to push passed her lips. She stumbled through the darkness, her feet tripping over themselves. She just couldn't get them to go fast enough. Her heart was pounding, her ears were roaring full of blood and her mind was zinging on the pain and adrenaline. When she finally reached the end, she was momentarily blinded by moonstone's brightness, but then another sight of flashing orange refocused her.

The orange was the eyes of Brokenstar. They were practically glowing with satisfaction. He was standing over Crookedstar's relaxed, in a trance form, he had a paw lifted, right above the Riverclan leader's neck. Poisonkit faltered, watch his sharp claws reflect light off of moonstone.

"No!" Poisonkit snarled, causing Brokenstar's eye to flash up to her. She didn't give him a chance to react and launched at him, bounding across the few feet between them. With all the strength she possessed she rammed him in the chest and he went slamming backwards into the stone wall behind him.

Growls continued to emit from her mouth, echoing around them and Brokenstar narrowed his eyes at his daughter once he regained some footing. She backed away, circling a few steps around him. "I thought I saw you outside." He murmured, his tone bordering on false amusement, but it was more of a threatening whisper.

"Protecting my clan leader." Poisonkit nodded, agreeing. She was panting for breath through the sting of her neck wound.

Her father smirked almost. He eyed the wound with interest."...then you shall die with him."

Before there was a response falling off her tongue he lounged for her throat, but instead of jumping away or trying to claw him; she went for his throat at the same moment.

He missed his angle and caught her ear, and she yowled in pain, but _her_ teeth were in perfect position and clamped around his throat. Brokenstar roared, rearing his head up and she clung tight, letting his height pull her from the ground.

"Crookedstar!" A sudden voice exclaimed, and Poisonkit knew it as Mudfur's, who had also been in a trance beside their leader. But obviously not anymore. There was a small groan and then suddenly Crookedstar was back to himself, sitting up and blinking at the two cats fighting in front of him.

Well if you wanted to call it fighting.. though hardly. She just clung on for life, and he tried to dislodge her like a hell bent flea.

Brokenstar panicked when the two awoke and began whipping her around more viciously, desperately trying to get her off. The movements mostly just allowed her teeth to grate against the skin, tearing it. Blood spilled into her mouth, over her tongue and it was revolting. She held strong though.

In an attempt to hold on better Poisonkit grasped his face with her paws, claw unsheathed. With a jerking movement from him though they slipped and ranked down his face, causing him to snarl. Poisonkit lost her grip then and was flung against the stone wall, knocking her breathless. She fell back down against the cold floor, just barely clinging to any coherent thoughts. She lifted her heavy eyelids to look up at him though.

Brokenstar, blood dripping down from scratches running over his face, turned to her for only a moment, his eyes showing with the most anger she had ever previously seen. Then Crookedstar hissed at him, Mudfur circled forward to fight. Brokenstar looked like he was shaking with rage, but he just shoulder passed them, more or less in a frantic run, receiving few scratches and he was home free, running out of Highstones in full retreat.

Poisonkit stumbled up after he disappeared, she wobbly on her feet, and then meowed to Crookedstar. "We need to go, he'll come back. With others." True, she expected more. She was wondering why it was only Brokenstar and Blackfoot who came, where was Clawface?

The leader watched her in slight confusion, but then nodded. Mudfur came to Poisonkit's side and helped her limp out as they followed Crookedstar towards the exit. When they were out of Highstones Leopardfur was standing out there waiting for them. She looked distressed and she had a long bleeding cut behind one of her ears. Blackfoot was nowhere in sight nor Brokenstar.

"They fled towards Shadowclan territory." She immediately reported and Crookedstar nodded.

"It was Brokenstar." He said gravely, yet anger shaking through his voice. "We have to get back home, and then at the full moon report this. Clans have to know he's haunting Highstones."

"Do you think Shadowclan knows this?" Mudfur meowed, from Poisonkit's side.

She was hardly listening to them though. Her head felt light, and it wasn't that good feeling lightness she got from Starclan. Her stomach churned and things blurred in her vision. She was too busy groaning to herself on the inside about the thought of walking all the way to Riverclan camp through the night then listening to the warriors around her.

It wasn't until her name was brought into the long heated discussion while they were walking back, did she care to notice their voices.

She was limping against Mudfur's side still and she heard him ask, in a hard tone. "And Poisonkit?" She almost wished she had heard what they said before that.

Leopardfur eyes flashed for a minute and she glared at the medicine cat. "Don't call her that. It's _Maplepaw_. You know that is what we call her."

Mudfur tensed in response. "In Starclan's eyes, she is Poisonkit."

"Because a leader, unsuited to do such, named her it!" Leopardfur snarls. "She is not a kit, she defended me tonight _and_ you, she knew we were under attack before even I did. She took on seasoned warriors, and-"

"And look at the state she is in!" Mudfur growled.

Poisonkit hated the way they were talking about her like she wasn't even there and she opened her mouth to comment, but Crookedstar spoke before she could.

"She had the courage to come in after Brokenstar and she had the strength to prevent both yours and my murder. She fought like a warrior, and she deserves neither of those names."

Poisonkit might have purred at that if she didn't know it would intensify the pain in her neck. Yet she couldn't help and glow on the inside at the praise of his words.

"But Crookedstar, surely she can't be named a warrior, she hasn't even been mentored." Mudfur objected to what the leader implied.

"Yes, she has. By both Brokenstar, which she has already proved she is not loyal to, and by my daughter these passed moons." His reply was calm and sure.

Leopardfur nodded. "Will you name her once we return?"

"I plan on so." Crookedstar meowed.

"But! She hasn't even had an assessment. She is only but te-"

"And if she had not been here tonight, then Brokenstar would have bested us both in at least less than a fraction of that time. Tonight is an assessment, a better assessment then any apprentice can be tested with." Crookedstar hissed, his voice stern and Mudfur nodded, dropping his eyes and kept anymore objections to himself.

The journey back was worse than to there. The cut in her throat had stopped bleeding a while ago when Mudfur used some herbs he found to press into it, but all she really wants to do is collapse and sleep. It was hard to keep herself on her feet and after a long while of forcing herself to go on, Leopardfur had to start pressing against her other side along with Mudfur to keep her going.

When they finally reached Riverclan territory the sense of relief of it was enough for the bright spots clouding her vision to start to blacken around the edges, by the sudden rush of familiarity.

Leopardfur held her in place though before she could sway and fall. They trudged all the way to camp and made it there just a few hours after sun rise. When they entered camp, they led her to the medicine den and Silverstream came bounding towards them. Crookedstar stepped up, blocked her entrance and forced her to focus on him.

He asked her about how it had gone and she hesitantly followed him over to the warrior den, while Mudfur and Leopardfur stayed with Poisonkit.

They set Poisonkit down on a moss bed and Mudfur began swiveling around collecting things and such, Leopardfur left as soon as she was laid down. Not too far, but sat outside the den, licking her fur. She was waiting for her own healing.

Mudfur forced some thing down Poisonkit's resistant throat and then began chewing on these leaves before pressing it to her throat. She hissed when it stung, but was too exhausted to do much else. She drank some water and then slowly while he worked on the smaller scratches of Leopardfur's, she drifted off to sleep.

When she finally awoke, she felt ten times better. Her neck was sore, but it was fine. She had the vague thought that she had woken up many times before this, but the memories of then were so groggy and unclear she didn't understand most of them. Her head was clearer then before, Mudfur told her to stay for awhile and informed her that it had been four days. That she had missed the full moon gathering.

That wasn't too saddening, she didn't want Shadowclan to know she was with Riverclan and now that she could think clearly she could feel unsettling things work into her conscience. Things about that night at Highstones and her heart sank…

Brokenstar knew where she was now. He knew she was with Riverclan and that heightened the threat of him invading. She didn't want him and his outcasts to attack the clan. They were good cats, she couldn't bare seeing Silverstream face to face with her father. She could hardly handle the thought of Leopardfur fighting with Blackfoot that night!

For some reason she felt like this was her fight, as she had then as well. If the rogues came then _she_ brought them down on Riverclan… like a poison. She spread it to them, without their knowledge. She poisoned the clan just like Nightstar had said she did. She brought the hate and the anger of Brokenstar.

She sat up slowly and the sun that hung high in the sky, seeped through that branches of the den around her. No one else was around, Mudfur had left, disgruntled and giving her sharp looks.

_At least someone around here was cautious_, she thought halfheartedly.

She yawned, then slowly and regretfully pawed her way out into camp.

Once she was out she spotted Silverstream talking with Mistyfoot and headed towards her, but a meow from her right caught her off guard. "Maplepaw! You're up. We've been waiting."

Leopardfur slunk up next to Poisonkit and then nodded towards the place where Crookedstar called his meetings. She spotted him not too far off, he was standing with Mudfur and Stonefur, a highly regarded warrior. They were all talking amongst themselves.

Poisonkit followed her towards them, but as they went she looked at the scar behind her ear. The same one that Blackfoot gave her. It made her heart heavy with the dread. She shouldn't be here, it threatened them, and they didn't even know. She didn't deserve a new name, or to be a warrior… she was poison… a poison they didn't even know of.

"Crookedstar, she's up." Leopard fur says, as they near.

All the warriors looked up at Poisonkit and she blinked back at them. Mudfur was disapproving, as always, and Stonefur was of praise. Crookedstar was more of a thoughtful look and then he called out to his clan; telling them to gather. It was strange, these passed two moons she had spent with them had passed so fast, she felt older now. Strangely enough, she was no longer lagging behind, she was ten months now.

Still small, slender, and agile, but somehow, when the other cats looked at her... it was different. It was respect, that she didn't deserve. Guilt coiled in her stomach. They liked her because she helped their leader, but she had been the one to endanger him in the first place.

"As you have all heard, I am sure, about the happening of four nights ago, I am offering this cat a place in Riverclan. She has proved she is loyal to us, by not only saving my life, but our medicine cats and aiding our Riverclan deputy in battle. Are there any objects?" He waited, his eyes swept around the clan and not one spoke out, though Mudfur looked like he was fighting his instinct to. Poisonkit almost wished he had.

"Good. Then if you do not object yourself, do you accept your place in Riverclan?" Crookedstar turned his eyes to Poisonkit and she felt like her breathing had suddenly hitched.

Her emerald eye flitted around at the other staring cats and then she closed them for a moment, just to clear her mind. She couldn't object, it was her _last_ chance. No other clan would be so generous, this was a coincidence she saved the three most important people in the clan, something so random she couldn't help, but wonder how she had gotten so lucky. Luck wasn't her strong suit, and yet maybe this wasn't lucky.. maybe this was bad.

Despite her warring emotions she murmured, "Yes," without much hesitation.

"Then, I, Crookedstar, leader of Riverclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. Maplepaw has been trialed and trained to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." His eyes locked with hers and her heart stuttered. "Maplepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Poisonkit didn't move. _No, no she couldn't._ She couldn't promise something like that. Starclan _told_ her she had to return to Shadowclan someday… hadn't they? Would dedicating her life to another clan help there? She didn't think so.

But what was that Raggedstar had made her promise before this?… To do… to stand up for what is right. Right? For Starclan. She could do that. Promise that, instead of this, even it it was only herself, and silently to Starclan. They would understand.

"I do." She whispered. _I promise to stand up for what is right. For you, Starclan. _

Crookedstar nodded. "Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Maplepaw, from this moment on you will be known as-" He paused a minute his eyes looking over Poisonkit thoughtfully. She never considered what he would name her, then he spoke more tenderly then before. "As Fierceheart." The name made Poiso- _Fierceheart _jolt._ "_Starclan honors your fierce spirit and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Riverclan."

"Fierceheart." The crowd echoed. Her eyes still hadn't left Crookedstar's "_Fierceheart_." Their voices sighed in harmony.

The crowd meowed the new name in honor of her. Crookedstar stepped forward, lowering his muzzle against her head and Fierceheartlicked his shoulder respectfully. Yet she felt too numb to think at the moment.

She closed her eye as Silverstream, purring, came to her side and began murmuring her new name with excitement. Fierceheart's spirits soared for this one moment. It was a rare moment and she felt guilty for it too. Her siblings were missing out. Then thoughts of her father and Nightstar came to mind.. her heart beat faster, an unknown smugness hit her. _Look at me now, _she thought.

She was a warrior… she was _Fierceheart. _


	12. Advice

Chapter 11- "Advice"

* * *

"Where have you been?" Fierceheart hisses. Silverstream slips back in the warriors den. It was late at night, the other warriors around them slept on, unaware of the two she-cats. Fierceheart tenses as the silver cat curls up next to her, she tries to hide the disapproval on her face.

Silverstream looked up to her friend. They have been together now for half of a moon since Fierceheart had been ranked higher and accepted. A lot has passed in that little time, her and Graystripes have grown closer and she sighed. "I went hunting that is al-"

"I smell Fireheart on you Silverstream." Fierceheart instantly snaps, cutting off her friends excuse. She didn't know how she knew, or why she couldn't pick up Graystripe so easily _or_ how she recognized Fireheart's specific scent at all. They haven't seen each other since that day when they caught their two best friends.

This strangeness also seemed apparent to her friend in a strange sense.

Silverstream gives her an odd look, and then her eyes wander around the crowded, slumbering den, as she murmurs, close to Fierceheart's ear. "He had come to see me earlier today, with Mistyfoot. He asked it of me to stop seeing Graystripes. I refused."

Fierceheart, sighed and her tail flickered with slight annoyance, at her friend's blatant disobedience to the rules. "He was smart to say it. Silverstream, image the pain your father would be in if he ever knew." Silverstream flickers her guilt free eyes to the pale she-cats face. Fierceheart tries to hide her distaste to the word father, when saying it at all.

"He will understand." Silverstream says and then makes to move away. Actually she stood up and started walking out of the den, Fierceheart followed close to the side. Her sleep was forgotten.

"Not everyone will approve, Silverstream." She meows, truly worried about Silverstream's image if this ever got out. As they emerged from the den, into the chilly leaf-bare night a queen was seated outside. Her icy blue eyes fixed a glare on Fierceheart.

"And not everyone approves of having a Shadowclan in our ranks." Mistyfoot spat, coming to Silverstream's side. Silverstream shook her head sadly.

"Please don't." Silverstream insists giving Fierceheart an earnest look. Her green eyes had flared with her temper, but it lay down quickly again; knowing she couldn't fight something that was futile.

The only reason she did not snarl back at Mistyfoot was because she was more loyal to her friend's wishes then to her dislike to those who have recently been against her presence in camp. Lately Mudfur had influenced a lot of others to avert their gaze from Fierceheart. It was frustrating, because she heard the rumors, if only little whispers. He was saying that Starclan didn't approve of her, that she didn't belong here.

She stopped walking and sat, watching Silverstream and Mistyfoot travel across camp. She didn't follow, even though Silverstream looked saddened she hadn't. They both disappeared into the queen's den and Fierceheart didn't even acknowledge that, not really. Her eyes wandered around the familiar surroundings this camp was to her now. She knew a lot about River, a lot more then she had known when she first arrived here, nearly four moons ago.

She knew their borders, their apprentice training places, the best hunting spots. Even though there was a fine layer of white about the forest and camp clearing as of this moment, she knew where everything was.

She was the only one out, her breath swirled into the bitter cold wind. She dropped her head back to look towards the darkened, twinkling sky. The stars were as beautiful as ever.

"Where do I go now?" She whispers, to the heavens, pleading almost.

And she was pleading, she didn't know what to do anymore. The prophecy never made sense. Her destiny and luck had always been a tragedy. Her childhood has been left behind now. There was still the impending revenge of her father, there was the threat of people finding out about their relation. There was Shadowclan who still hasn't been told of her staying here.

Silverstream was a concern. She worried about this Graystripe. She still recalled him fondly, but it didn't chance the tight knot in her chest. She hated to watch the rules be broken. They've only brought her pain..

As expected the stars didn't respond. They sat winking at her. She wondered if Cloverpaw would reach out to her, but as long as she stood there, freezing her fur off, nothing happened. Staying with Riverclan had never felt right.

Her green eyes showed through the white, slightly windy atmosphere. They dropped from the heavens and gazed towards the camp entrance. She contemplated running now. Just leaving, going to Highstones and demanding an answer. Would they have one? Could they decode that stupid prophecy?

Could her father intercept her travels? Would they out number her and kill her.. finally? Or would she be able to slip by? Was she strong enough to face him? Had she ever been.. will she ever _be_?

So many questions and no answers. She fell back on the warrior code in her head, but that didn't help as the guidelines the elders claimed them to be. They didn't tell her what to do...

When the wind ruffled her thin white, lightly brown splotched coat, she shivered. The cold was getting to her and she turned away from the camp, heading back into the warrior den. She curled up all by herself away from most of the warriors; not wanting to intrude.

She fell asleep easily, but chilled and not peacefully. That night she dreamed, vividly.

It was a familiar sight though. A vision she had received before, except now there was a voice echoing in the background and emotions that weren't really hers racked through her body.

She was in Shadowclan territory, she was running, her chest was rising and falling rapidly. She was running across the land faster then a thunderpath monster, the trees blurred around her. She didn't know why but there was a heart wrenching fear tearing through her heart and mind. All she knew was that there was something wrong, and.. it needed her to help.

Sounds from the prophecy vision were in the background, behind the pounding of her pulse in her blood. The hacking cats, the barking dogs, and the yowling cats. Her panic raised, a fear of being too late nipped into her nerves.

When the spinning world slowed, her paws stumbled to stop and she skidded to a halt. Her wide, frantic eyes found the burnt sycamore before her. It's bark was black, and from all around it, she thought there was a malevolent fire. Then it cleared and she realized that it wasn't fire, they were only cats. All ragged and ill looking. Her mind reeled.

Tigerclaw stood in the forefront and he looked just as he had in her first vision standing before this tree.

"_Ah, Poisonkit. You finally join us." _He purrs, and the cats step forward, she stumbles back.

A ear splitting dog howl breaks through the background noise of the sickening chorus. Tigerclaw crouches forward, his tail flickered like he was having fun and just as he pounced at her- two heavy paws knocked into her shoulders and she yowled, her eyes suddenly flashed, the vision faltered, feel away and she was looking up at the face of Stonefur.

Sunlight was spilling into the den now, the night had gone by while she got lost in her nightmare.

"Are you okay?" Stonefur meows, watching her clammy self get to her feet.

She gives him a shaky nod. "Course... yeah, I'm fine."

He eyed her, not believing it, but then shrugs it away. He nods towards the den exit. "Leopardfur wants us."

"Okay.." Fierceheart followed him, trying her best not to let that vision get to her. But hadn't she just asked Starclan for advice? Was that their _advice_?

Or was that a warning..?

* * *

**_A/N: _**_I know it kind of seems like this is in fast forward a lot. It needs to be, I'm trying to get passed her back story, so we can get to her destiny, and the romance! They do get some, I promise. WARNING: If you haven't already guessed, some things are about to change, not very much, but at least to include Fierceheart. Just warning yah. Thanks for reading, sorry for typos. Review? -Taryn(:_


	13. Gray Mates

Chapter 12- "Gray Mates"

* * *

Leopardfur led them to the medicine den, forcing the two to stand outside, while taking in her clearly distressed and anxious face. "A terrible sickness has broken out among the elders." She meows in distress, her claws pricking at the dirt. "I'm worried that it could spread further among our numbers. It may be due to the fish. There is less of it anyway.." Her eyes cast wistfully towards the frozen river. "We are sparse on food, I do not know what to do."

"We must feed the clan first." Stonefur offers up immediately. He always loved the code.

Leopardfur bowed her head in agreement. Fierceheart couldn't quite say anything. She feared this day, the day when the clan went hungry and her presence will become the biggest burden. Her own eyes were cast towards the camp exit, much like the previous night.

She suddenly felt very trapped. Suffocated to no end.

"I will hunt." She purposed, her eyes flying to Leopardfur's. "I'll hunt all day, maybe I'll be lucky. You do not need me around do you?"

The eagerness in her voice tipped them off to something amiss. "I suppose, take an apprentice with you though-"

Fierceheart nearly sighed. She knew they wanted to test her. The apprentice will serve as an anchor, keeping her at bay, keeping her tied and bound to Riverclan. "I will catch nothing with a clumsy kit with me."

"Then I shall give you my apprentice. He is a fine hunter and nearly on the brink of his warrior-hood. He is but a moon under your age." Leopardfur countered and Fierceheart was forced to agree.

Fierceheart waited at the camp entrance, her belly touching low to the freezing snow. Her tail flicked impatiently as she waited for the tom who was to hunt with her.

"Fierceheart!" Bellowed a voice that made the she-cat jump inside her skin. Her eyes lifted to locate a burly, graying white tom with whispery blue eyes. She'd seen him in camp before but she does not talk to many now a days. "I'm Hallowpaw, Leopardfur said you had some hunting techniques you could teach me."

_No, I suck at hunting, _Fierceheart grumbled to herself. But she kept the groaning mental and stood tall, but was dwarfed by this big cat and she said not a word as she slipped out into the forest.

Hallowpaw followed, he chatted though, talking and talking. About his mother, and his siblings, and the trials of his apprenticeship. That was just small slips in the river, or a stray mouse on his record of not feeding the clan first. Fierceheart couldn't imagine what this tom would do if he had to endure the type of apprenticeship and kit-hood she had.

Though the thought didn't turn into a prideful one, it was envious and nostalgic. She envied this tom, for his positive, glowing face and his strong, unwavering ties to Riverclan. She mourned the death of her normalcy, her siblings, and her chance of just being a clan cat.

Part of her blamed Starclan. The other half was directed at her father.

"Do you like fish? You know, growing up in Shadowclan. I would think that if I didn't eat it as a kit that I might not like it. It's.. always so slimy. What does Shadowclan eat usually? I heard once, that they like crowfood and feed off of-"

"Hallowpaw!" Fierceheart suddenly yowls, turning on him, so they were nose to nose. "Please, we are _hunting_. You'll scare off any prey that is within range, do you like to see your clan mate's starve?"

His eyes instantly become meek, reminding her of Featherpaw. "I-I.."

She sighs, uncoiling her muscles. Her eyes dropped to her paws then, her mind felt a little at war. Her longing to return to Shadowclan had increased in the absence of it. She never thought to miss them. She hated them.. but she wished to see her mother and even seeing Nightstar might calm the nerves twisting in her gut.

Part of her felt shame at failing her clan...

"Sorry, I.." She let out a long breath. "I just like the quiet."

There was a snort then, that surprised her. Hallowpaw might be chatty, but not rude. Her eyes flashed up to the tom sitting before her, but his face was just as shocked. He wasn't the one who snorted.

"Since when do you like the quiet? You always enjoyed fights, starting riots even.."

The voice brought a cold wind with it, that froze over Fierceheart's muscles. She couldn't move, fear paralyzed her. The fear instantly crawled into her heart and over took her mind, she could only lift her eyes to the cat approaching their left.

He looked better then the last time Fierceheart had seen him. Better fed, his dark tabby coat shinny in the ghoulish glow of the sun, as it bore across the snow. His orange eyes were still flat though, not showing a trace of the amusement that seeped into his voice. Brokenstar eyed Hallowpaw with interest.

"Is this your new mate, Maplepaw?" His tone was mocking. "You could have done better. I had thought Clawface fancied you once, maybe you could-"

The disgust in Fierceheart's face overcame the terror. "Never. The murdering, cryptic cat will be forced to nothing but the lack of _any_ she-cat's love!"

"Fierceheart.." Hallowpaw meowed meekly, sinking into the ground, his eyes wide as he stared at Brokenstar's huge form. "What- What are you doing?" He couldn't make sense why she had not said anything to defend the clan's territory, why she suddenly leaped from in front of him and met the stranger tom half way.

"Fierceheart, huh?" Brokenstar says, like he was tasting the new name. "I suppose Crookedstar named you this. A reward for fighting me?" His eyes cast to the apprentice, who reeked of fear. Hallowpaw's friendly appeal vanished and he became a shaking kit.

Fierceheart couldn't blame him, she used to be a kit that fell to this monster. "What are you doing here, Brokenstar?" She snarls, stepping forward to knock his shoulder back. He had been steering towards Hallowpaw and she wouldn't allow anyone to be forced into her father's contact. _Ever_, if she could help it.

"Brokenstar!" Hallowpaw cried in a frightful whisper, hearing her name this tom. She could see the hair on his back raise in defense and disbelief. His pale blue eyes snap to her in horror. "You lie! You are in league-"

Fierceheart's eyes widen. She hadn't even thought of it. "No, never! Hallowpaw listen, run to camp, get-"

Brokenstar lunged at his daughter before the words made it out of her mouth. Her fear came crashing into her chest, just like his paws, overwhelming her. The breath was knocked clean out of her lungs when they hit the snow. Her eyes stared up into his bared teeth, yellowing as they were, while her head snapped against the frozen earth.

It stung, it brought back the pain of her old concussion. Her mind was sent reeling, her thoughts went scattering into a thousand different directions.

Her mouth opened and closed, struggling to draw breath. She felt her father move from atop her and then sickeningly.. she heard the sound of Hallowpaw's pain.

The fear jolted inside her. It morphed quickly to anger and with that she forced her body to move. Her paws swayed underneath her body, her mind was hazy, and when her eyes focused within the wintery, spinning world, she found Hallowpaw's blood staining across it.

"No!" She yowls, leaping at her father who stood over the apprentice, whose neck had a gaping hole in it. "How dare you!"

She had him pinned, because he didn't struggle. He just looked up at her, his eyes now dancing with mirth. Her own face was appalled. "How dare you!" She repeats, digging her claws into his sturdy shoulders. "This is my new home! Why do you come? Do you wish to ruin everything I have, everything I've ever possessed? Is this how you pass your days in exile, torturing me? Killing at random?" She was ashamed of her relation to this tom, more then usually.

Yet even though she was outraged, her blood pounding inside her eardrum, she could not help but feel it cave. It crumbled like a dead leaf and enveloped within her chest. She couldn't stay upset with him for reasons she could not place, her strength withered and Brokenstar pushed her off of him easily.

"I hate you." She spat, her emerald eyes dead within their depths as they lifted to him. She sat with her shoulders hunched forward, her head hanging low.

Brokenstar sat gingerly before her and mockingly so he licked her behind her ear, like a loving father. "Not as much as Leopardfur and Crookedstar will hate you for allowing one of their own to be killed." He purrs, causing Fierceheart to let out a low keening sound.

"You hate me." She whispers. She knew that this would be put on her, letting this apprentice die. She just laid there! Incompetent enough not to run for help at the first sight of Brokenstar, but instead she let her childish fear control her.

"No, I admire you. How had one such as you manage to get into a fine new clan? Being of my kin, or even of my known groups of rouges, that did not appear to become an option."

Fierceheart added a new piece of self hate inside of herself for that, for gaining something as horrid as Brokenstar's admiration. "Because I do not belong there." She says, her eyes now glaring at his. "Because they could see, because they were not blinded as Nightstar was."

Brokenstar gives a hoarse laugh. "Oh, do not lie to yourself. You belong with me, alright! I knew it from the beginning. You were the fierce one, the daring one who approached a Thunderclan border patrol on her first day out. You love the thrill of a fight, I saw it in the way you leaped at Yellowfang's throat that day. Not your other siblings, but you Fierceheart. You lust for power, like me, don't you?"

She was insulted. The indignation in her face was clear, she hated the sound of her warrior name coming from his mouth. She did not like fighting, she did not dare too much, and power? Did she want power?

No, not at all. It would mean more responsibility. It would give her father more things of hers to destroy. If she were to gain anything, she felt sure that Brokenstar would try to take it from her like a mewling, greedy kit.

"The last thing _I_ need is power." She hisses. There was no threat in her tone. She would not fight him, she knows it. "And if you were to come across it, then it would me insubstantial and temporary at the most. No cat like you could hold anything worth much more then the dung that you are."

"Says the dammed to the dammed." Brokenstar mumbles. "What makes you think you are so special? You are _my_ daughter. I will not allow you to become better then myself, it is-"

"You fear to be undermined by me!" Fierceheart suddenly roars, standing, her eyes alive with fire. "That is why you drag me down! Because you think it is humiliation to be bettered by your kin? And for a daughter who is not even known to be yours! Where is your pride- no, that is not the right question. Why such a large ego, father, where could you even developed one?" Her words were built to insult, they were careful bards used to enrage him and to soothe the grief and anger inside herself that she could not find outlet in violence. "Is it because you failed as leader? You are already overshadowed by your father, aren't you? Why fear me?"

The look on his face is murderess. His eyes have lost there mock, but now you can see his hate for her displayed plainly as the sight of Hallowpaw's blood against the white snow. "You dare too much." He growls.

"I dare not enough, Brokenstar." She retorts, her anger building so much that she took a threatening step forward. "If I had any brains then I would have pounced at you the second I heard your voice."

"Yet you hesitated. You know you can not completely turn from me! I am your father-"

"You say that as if that means something!"

Her voice had raised above the careful hisses they were using, if rose into a higher octave and broke thorough the graying sky overhead. It elevated above the treetops in her complete rage, with the desperation to forget hallowed out inside of it. A plea for it to be denied, buried deep inside her chest.

"You are no father of mine." Fierceheart continues. "You have never been a father to me, only a demented leader that I shall never find respect for. Go from here, Riverclan does not need your poison."

Brokenstar's eyes narrow. "You think you can tell me what to do?" His voice is tense. "You think you even have _voice_?" He waits for her to say something but she does not. "You are right on one thing, for once, Riverclan will get no poison now. They are too strong. But Thunderclan shall, they fall ill, their camp will be void of strength _soon_."

Fierceheart's mind instantly jumped to Tigerclaw, because his strength represented Thunderclan to her, but her mind then dove towards the orange tom, Fireheart. In turn her heart beat faster, because next was Graystripe and then imaginings of Silverstream's grief at his loss.

"You take on Bluestar? Tigerclaw?" She says, carefully, evenly, her eyes watching his face intently. "You think your starving rogues have any chance?"

"So you admire Thunderclan too, it seems. Where do your loyalties lie, Fierceheart? In Riverclan? Shadowclan, still? Maybe perhaps Thunderclan? I always wondered, after seeing you so fascinated of them that first day and in camp, I wonder.. have you found a mate among them?" His eyes turn cunning, his face ducks closer to hers. Her gut tremors when his warm breath whisks across nose. "Perhaps, the young gray tom you ripped out from under me? Handsome, no? Friendly, does seem to be your type." His eyes cast to the remains of Hallowpaw. "Your scent mingles with that toms on my travel here, others too, but your two I know."

Fierceheart just stares at him. She neither denies or entertains the thoughts for him. She stands her ground, and wants him to leave.

"So he is! You do not deny it." Her father draws back, looking over her form. "You have grown into a pretty she-cat. Like your mother, but smaller, slender, and brighter. Much brighter." She sneers at the compliment but still refuses to talk. "Do you know that it breaks the code? That you could get in trouble for it?"

"Does it even matter?" She snarls, stung to speech. "I will be pinned for this murder. Mudfur will make sure of it! I have no reputation to uphold."

Her father looked suddenly pleased. "Good, that is what I intended. Now come with me, I shall forgive your mistakes and your daring's only at little cost..."

Fierceheart scoffs. "Who said I want to be with you? I could never trust you-"

"Trust does not matter. I need your claws and capable teeth. I need warriors. You are of my blood so you must be great. I will forgive revenge, only if you kill that who has turned you from me. The tom, the gray tom. You kill him in the battle, then you will be put back into my care. Blackfoot and Clawface will watch yo-"

"I am no kit! I do not want to be 'protected' by you!"

He ignores her, as if she had not even spoke. "You can take Shadowclan back with us-"

"I do not need your help in that!"

He still goes on. "Nightstar can be personally yours, I shall give you that also. I am to kind-"

"Brokenstar! I do not hate Nightstar, I shall not be his murderer."

"Excuse me? You do not hate the tom who forced me and you out of our own clan? The tom who forced your brother onto the thunderpath that killed hi-"

"Very convincing coming from the tom who murdered my two other siblings with his own paws!"

"You let go of nothing." He complains. "They were weak kits, I gave them nothing they shouldn't have been able to handle."

"Obviously, you have no sense of good judgment at all." Fierceheart says, through gritting teeth. "Get out of here, before I am forced to chase you out."

"That would mean you are of Riverclan, I have the sneaking suspicion that you won't be for much longer."

True.

"Get out!" Fierceheart yowls, futilely. "I want nothing to do with you!"

Brokenstar fixes her with an icy stare. "Remember, that the death of the gray tom brings you back into my favor. You will not stay rogue for long, I know because you are a terrible loner. It is only a matter of time before you run back to me. When the time comes it must be before tomorrow evening, when we invade Thunderclan, you must meet me at their borders near the sunning rocks, or I shall assume you indifferent. You will have no other chance."

Brokenstar didn't wait for her to say anything, he just turned and fled the scene of the crime. She watched him, unable to follow, her limbs heavy and burdened with hate. "I won't come." She whispers after him, but it is no use and the words are carried away in the breeze.

It takes Fierceheart a long time to turn back to the apprentice, with his mangled throat. Her heart bursts then, seeing his face cast aside ike that. His mouth open and no longer drawing breath, those big blue eyes of his open and lifeless. Her head falls back towards the sky and a yowl escapes her, pouring out the frustration warring inside. It expresses all the new grief and pain entering her from the new loss of another clan.

Because not a minute later she slumps forward, grasping Hallowpaw by the scruff, dragging his limp form back towards camp. She was going to get hell for this, she knew it.

_Thanks Starclan, _she thinks somberly_, you really know how to plan a destiny. _

* * *

**_A/N: _**_Just moving it along. Esablishing there relationship better. Oh and, well what do you think Crookedstar's gonna say? Thanks for reading, sorry for typos, PLEASE review! The second I get one I'll begin writing the next chapter. -Taryn(: _


	14. Once Again

Chapter 14- "Once Again"

* * *

"I'm sorry." Fierceheart says, for what seems the hundredth time. Crookedstar's piercing eyes bore into her, like he could see straight through her. It felt violating and she felt as naked as a shaved fox. "Please, I _tried_."

Leopardfur, standing at the leaders side, shook her head softly. "I just don't understand. You say Brokenstar invaded our territory, took out an unsuspecting apprentice and then.. just left. You didn't even follow him? Yo-"

"I tried to stop him, he- he-"

"You obviously didn't try hard enough!" Cried a grief stricken sibling of Hallowpaw's. It was a small apprentice with similar whitish gray colorings, named Heavypaw.

Fierceheart couldn't meet any of their eyes. She knew this wouldn't go down well. The fur on her back was prickling and deep in her belly it churned with guilt that she _fought_ to keep from her eyes. When she spoke, she spoke through a clenched jaw. "I did. I swear, he is so much bigger than-"

"Then why don't you have any scratches or injures to show?" Mudfur growls, pacing around on her left.

Fleetingly her eyes look to him but dart away quickly. Despite everything she could not find an answer to that. Why hadn't she chased the damn tomcat as soon as she had seen him? Why did she even allow such a chance to appear and have him so close to Hallowpaw?

_Starclan, save me. _

"I don't know what to say to you." Crookedstar suddenly sighs, looking up from the gathered cat that surrounded Hallowpaw's mangled corpse. It was late evening, the sun played against the snow and glinted over the frozen river. Fierceheart only wished she could pause to admire it.

Instead her eyes were staring desperately to Crookedstar, begging him to believe her innocent and uncorrupted. "Say only the truth. Starclan knows, Crookedstar, they know I didn't! I would never hurt a.. a clan mate, I could never be in league with Brokenstar."

He cast a long glance towards the camp exit, like he is far off in thought. There are many seasons of hardness in his face. His body gives way to many years of hard work. Never had he seemed so powerful to Fierceheart. Not even the first day she came here, plopped at his feet, a mere kit caught in cross fire overpowered the new sense this tom gave her.

"Mudfur," Crookedstar began, turning his face to the medicine cat. "Tell her what you have told me."

His words jolted many cats, but none so much as Fierceheart. She had been looking towards the exit like their leader, but instead of what he may have been contemplating, she was wondering where Silverstream was. Fierceheart felt completely alone in this camp full of mourning cats and all of them giving her this crude look that she knew Silverstream wouldn't stand for.

Here and now, Fierceheart was as ally-less as she had been in Shadowclan.

The wind around them seemed colder somehow, the gray clouds roiled overhead, blocking out the sun and Fierceheart shivered. All the while Mudfur stepped forward, staring directly at her.

"Our clan has been going downhill ever since this cat's arrival, starting with Whiteclaw's death." Fierceheart nearly spoke out. _Thunderclan killed that warrior! _But she held it back, staring at this tom who has hated her all along. "Now our clan grows sick, our numbers are falling dramaticly, no kits have been born and here, right before us, one of our most promising apprentices lies dead at our feet." He speaks with nothing back a detached, amending tone. "Our borders are infiltrated by a cat that has threatened our leader, that still escaped here unfollowed and unthreatened. Many nights ago, Starclan granted me a dream. I dreamed of a sickness encroaching the land, our river, flooding our camp like poisonous smoke," he put an extra piece of spite in the word of poison, as if he was attributing that solely as Fierceheart herself. "They spoke to me simple words, 'Secret betrayals will be uncovered among Riverclan'. What more can they mean, then the stranger that we let into our midst?"

Silence pursued Mudfur's long speech. Fierceheart just looked to Crookedstar in appeal. She could not go out again. She could not allow her father to win!

"Starclan means to warm us, Crookedstar. Surely you will listen." Mudfur murmurs after a long pause.

Leopardfur looks like she had nothing to add, she sits with her head hanging low, her eyes trained on Hallowpaw's face. It was her apprentice. He was her little fur-ball of energy and enthusiasm. Now he lay still, for once in his short life, and it felt wrong.. dirty.. reeking of foul play.

What was worse was that his blood was on her. It was soaked into her fur just behind her right ear, where Brokenstar had licked her. Unbeknownst to her, until upon entering Mistyfoot had pointed it out, Fierceheart suddenly felt it with every nerve. It was warm and if she opened her mouth, breathing deeply she could taste the smell of blood and even a tinge of her father.

Now she fought to keep her lunch down as well as her guilt.

"Please.. I'm no rogue." Fierceheart meows, but Crookedstar lifted his gaze to her.

"I trust in Starclan. They have never led me astray and they have brought me to the tom I am today. I have fought as they told me and I must continue to listen to them or else I would mean my clan harm. Understand what it is to be a leader, I must make choices that will ensure their safety." He didn't move, just sat in front of her with a grave, law a bidding air surrounding him. "We have lost Oakheart, and now a fine apprentice, we lost an elder this morning, Ravinetail, and Leaf-bare has just begun. I have never had trouble with Brokenstar before, until your coming, clearly for my clan's sake you must leave."

Meows of soft agreement were heard around the camp and the sight of Mudfur's pleasure made Fierceheart's emotions sting, like this was drawing all her strength, leaving her crippled. It was an insult, a degrading act... for the second time in her life. "Please.." She whispers, futilely, as Crookedstar continues on.

"You understand don't you? I must protect Silverstream and my warriors and-"

"I get it." Fierceheart breathes, looking quickly to Leopardfur, who refused to look back. "I'll leave." She knew a fight was not worth it. She turned to go and as she pawed her way to the exit Crookedstar's voice followed after her.

"From this day forth, I call Starclan to witness, that this she-cat, Fierceheart, is no long bound to Riverclan. She had shown herself unbelonging and hazily guilty for deaths of the clan and ties to betraying secrets. I ban this warrior to the forest, as a rogue and-"

Whatever else was said, it went unheard by her, because the second she passed the underbrush she was bounding. Her breathing was hitching and cutting off in strange places. She fought back a yowl of sorrow, diving towards the only place she considered worthy of care. Highstones. The only place that has yet to disown her.

* * *

**_A/N: _**_Okay! NEXT CHAPTER IS WHERE FIREHEART AND FIERCEHEART'S RELATIONSHIP BEGINS. (Just thought you should know.) Please review for a faster update. -Taryn(;_


	15. Warring Thoughts

Chapter 15- "Warring Thoughts"

* * *

She tore through the underbrush, thorns grabbing at her fur and low hanging branches whipping across her face. She couldn't see clearly, everything was blurred over and she swerved in her run, pouncing left to right, leaping over logs and stumbling over ferns.

Every breath was gasping, hitched and something weighed her down. Something she didn't understand squeezed her heart, adding pressure and more and more.. until she thought it would burst.

It wasn't guilt. Fierceheart knew guilt. That was like snakes, burning snakes coiling inside of her stomach.

It wasn't pain. Fierceheart knew pain would never sting as much as this did...

Once she was bounding across the frozen river, steering down the opposite edge of it she realized just exactly what it was inside her.

Rejection.

Nothing bit into her soul so badly as that. No one wanted her. Everyone looked at her with disgust! _Brokenstar was right_, she thinks mournfully, _I'll never be better then him. _

As she ran nothing seemed to register, only sadness. Her thoughts reeled; remembering Crookedstar's face, Leopardfur's withdrawal. Even Silverstream's absence hurt! The she-cat Fierceheart thought was her best friend, missed this, because of a tom. Graystripes was more important then herself.

Fierceheart fought for even breathing. She wasn't angry this time. All of her rage was beaten out of her, like a dying flame. Now she felt lonely, empty.. unwanted.

She knew she was in Thunderclan territory, but her heart was set on running through Fourtrees, then heading straight towards Highstones. She didn't even truly care, what was one more clan's hate?

The sun was just setting behind her and she knew it would be moon high by the time she reached Highstones.

Would they be disappointed in her? Would they take one glance and say 'We were wrong, you'll never be the savior, you'll never be fit for anything'? Would that pretty she-cat, Spottedleaf, shrug her off as if she were a mere kit, too stupid to understand?

Fierceheart suddenly froze. Her paw back paddled, skidding to a complete halt at the edge of another stream that would take her to a place she knew people called the owl tree. She stared at it.

Maybe it wasn't worth the trip. Maybe going to Highstones would be a mistake. Wouldn't they just turn her away also?

Would she pace in there, touch her nose to the ground and be refused?

The thought made her groan, and she fell – _collapsed_ – onto the ground. Her legs curled beneath her and her paws gave out. She buried her face into the grass and against her chest, too exhausted to look up, or move or stand.

No one would have her.

No one.. except her father.

But she didn't want her father!

Why didn't anyone understand that?

If she ran to Shadowclan they would attack her. If she went to Windclan they would pry the fur off her back. If she returned to Riverclan they would chase her out with only warnings, and sad pitying looks. If she went to Highstones she would be ignored. If she went to Thunderclan, Tigerclaw would haunt her every step...

And if she went to her father she would be accepted. She would be pulled in and protected. She would have a family... a _clan_.

She refused though. She refused to be pulled into this thinking. Fierceheart couldn't handle the guilt, the pain... she didn't want to hurt anymore. Going to Brokenstar would only damn her more.

It was so hard to refuse. So much effort in fact, she had no strength left to lift herself out of the dirt.

_Maybe I should become a kittypet. _

It was the first time she considered this. It was the first horrifying time she let herself stoop _so_ low. Kittypets were an insult to the feline race. Fierceheart was raised to think so from her clans influence, not just by her father.

_You've never met one_, she countered to herself, _maybe it could be okay.._

_You're crazy, if you ever want to be respected stooping to twolegs will guarantee none. _

Fierceheart sighed. _And now I'm talking to myself. _

She tried to stand, several times, but each time her heart would suddenly pull, or tug or the strings would twist painful and she would be forced back down. She ended up laying there, watching the sun lower in the treetops, the last rays of sunlight playing against her fur and face.

She was so completely unaware of anything, except her minds own turmoil, that she failed to hear the approaching cats. She failed to scent them as they spotted her, crawled to the edge of the underbrush and lay still, watching her.

There wasn't much to watch, but the grief in her eyes and the tenseness of her petite body. After a long time, the bigger of the two cats meowed to the one at their side and came slipping out of the bushes.

"What are you doing here?"

Fierceheart jumped to her paws, startled, instantly rendered breathless. But the second her weight settled her legs gave out again, sending her inelegantly back to the ground. The tom that had emerged, had a flamed colored coat and wide, concerned, yet similarly guarded green eyes.

"Fireheart." Fierceheart gasps, struggling to her feet. She finally managed some ground, but she was clenching her jaw. "What are you-"

"Doing here?" He meows, there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Like I told you last time, it's my territory, what are _you_ doing here?"

There wasn't much threat in his voice, but she felt like he forced some in there. _Why_? Did he really hate her also? Then she caught the wind, the heavy scent of another laying in the bushes a few fox tails away.

Fierceheart focused on them and Fireheart ducked forward, closer to her, and stepping into her vision. "Has Riverclan asked you to spy? Do they steal Thunderclan's prey? Shadowclan has been, but patrols have been smelling a lot of Riverclan out by the.. _sunning rocks._"

Fierceheart blinked. She knew he was referring to Silverstream. Was he warning her? The thought was slightly enlightening then she took in his other question, and the lightness crumbled.

Shadowclan hasn't touched them. It was Brokenstar.

_Meet me at the sunning rocks, tomorrow evening. _

The words echoed simultaneously and Fierceheart's whole body trembled remembering her father's request. Fireheart was waiting for an answer though, his big green eyes blinking down at her.

"I-I.. Riverclan..." How could she tell this tom she's been kicked from yet _another_ clan? To clear her thoughts she shook her head and began again. "They haven't asked me to spy and no one was stealing prey to my knowledge. As for the scents?" Her mind raged for a covered answer about their rebelling friends, since she was overly aware of the cat in the bushes. "Irresponsible.. _apprentices_ they slip away, play on the ice. Sometimes they slid right over the river.. without our approval. You know how hard it is to keep a close eye on..." _Those who don't want to be stopped. "_them..."

For some reason an anguish fell over Fireheart's face. One that had Fierceheart panicking. His eyes clouded over like a hurricane storm and guilt shown so plainly, that her heart didn't twist, but sped up. She had a sudden urge to comfort him.

"What is it?" She breathes, daring a step closer. Did he blame himself for Graystripe and Silverstream? That couldn't possibly be right..

"Nothing." He mumbles, taking a deep breath and turning his face away, towards Riverclan territory. "You are in Thunderclan territory, you have to leave. Return-"

"Where?" Fierceheart meows, staring at him sadly. She wished he would tell her.. she _wanted _to know. She wanted to say sorry for what ever it was that she said that had hit him so hard.

He gave her a sharp look. "To your camp. I can't allow you to be here." His voice suddenly hardened, like he realized he was talking to a stranger.. practically, even though it felt like she was popping up everywhere. He realized that this wasn't someone he could afford to spend time talking to. "Go, before I chas-"

"Go ahead." Fierceheart sighed, sagging her shoulders forward. "Chase me out. It's not like everyone else hasn't had their chance."

Fireheart was silent for a minute. "What?"

She snorted, humorlessly. "I've been exiled.. again." She lifts her eyes to his and she sees his professionalism is falling. "Riverclan is no longer my clan."

"Why?" He whispers. She doesn't answer, just averts her face. This forces him to move even closer, closing the foot of distance between them, so he could duck his head in front of hers. "Why did _Shadowclan_ ban you?"

She shuddered when his warm breath played across her whiskers. Then she considered his question, she took a deep breath, to answer. When her lungs were half-way filled she suddenly choked. She sputtered and began to cough, causing Fireheart to reel back in surprise.

"W-What is it?" He says.

Fierceheart's heart began to beat faster then the speeding thunderpath monster. _Impossible! _she thought, _Great Starclan, I'm imagining things! _But her mouth didn't lie, going suddenly parch with shock, and her throat constricting in astonishment. His scent matched, _exactly _to the strange, intoxicating aroma as the fire and smoke had been in her vision.

"Nothing." She gasps out slightly, standing taller, shaking her head even more. "I-" No excuse came to mind so she kept it awkwardly silent, while she stood there, staring at him, taking deeper breaths then before. She couldn't stop herself, she drew in his scent now, tasting it and letting it settle in her mind to the memory for exactly what it was.

_Why? _She wondered.

Fireheart stared at her, then his eyes flickered to the cat in the bushes in worry. "You have to go." He says.

She was glad he didn't ask her again, about the loss of her clans and she nodded, too shocked and numb in the moment to know what she should do. She bowed her head to him, and he returned it, while she slipped passed him and then bounded across the stream, eyes set towards Fourtrees. Neutral area was her safest bet.

She looked over her shoulder as she ran, after she was a ways away, and she glimpsed a cat as it emerged and approached Fireheart, who was staring back into his own territory. Fierceheart could only make out a patch of gray. She assumed it was Graystripe.. but why hadn't he come out?

Who else could it have been?

* * *

**_A/N: _**_Probably not so romantic, but working towards it. Thanks for reading, sorry for typos, please review! -Taryn(: _


	16. Tense Gathering

Chapter 16- "Tense Gathering"

* * *

Once Fierceheart reached Fourtrees, she felt.. _alone_. She sat in the piles of snow coating the ground, gazing up at the large rock where her leaders sat.

She snorted. '_Her' _leaders.

_They shall never accept me, _she thought.

Her sorrow of losing Riverclan still remained, leaving a lingering sting on her heart. She wished there was someone to tell. The urge to share the pain with a companion was so strong that it was nearly enough for her to run back to Fireheart. Then she reminded herself that he too had just kicked her out of an area.

The disappointment of the passed several moons has been gathering in her chest like a leaf-bare storm. She has held her tongue to Silverstream, her only friend, and now that friend is gone. There was no one who knew of her siblings, not truly. Not about Cloverpaw and the fight. Not about her older brother, Featherpaw and how she had standing not two feet away when he was brutally crushed underneath a monster.

Her fur still crawled at the reminder of his blood splaying out and hitting her.

Shaken and her heart suddenly throbbing, at the reminder that it had been in fact his life for hers, she took off running again. She felt the snow flay upwards at her back, but she couldn't care less. If she was attacked, then maybe for once she would find place in a clan: Starclan.

Yet, she didn't wish to... die. She had a strange urge to thrive. She didn't want to die and move on, letting her father think she was weak and stupid. She didn't want to die and let Crookedstar hear and pity her more, she didn't want Shadowclan to hear and think she was as pathetic as she felt. She desired to make them feel tricked. She wanted them to feel stupid, for letting her go.

She wanted to prove them all wrong. Mostly her father, but even her mother as well.

But how? She couldn't possibly do it herself. She didn't particularly want to go back to Highstones and admit defeat. Raggedstar might just gaze at her with that look of pity that almost everyone seemed to possess when she stood in their presence.

As she ran her head dropped back to look up at the dark sky. The sunset had past as she talked to Fireheart, now there was the first of the stars peeking out. The moon hung low, but will swing upwards soon enough. And it was a full moon. There will be a Gathering tonight.

Her ears twitched. Fierceheart stopped in her tracks. She looked around and found herself dangerously near Windclan territory. Rethinking her running impulse she cautiously backed away from the border and skid back around the thinning forest towards Fourtrees.

Maybe.. she could just watch from afar. It has been such a long time that she's ever been to one.

After she returned to a heavy pile of underbrush on the closer side of the clearing leading up to Fourtrees she waited for the other clans. Unfortunately for her, the first clan to arrive was Windclan, their scent came so close to hers she began to contemplate running.

Tallstar, though kept his ranks even and close as they ran down the clearing. She watched them, but recognized none. She has not had to deal with Windclan before and she hoped to never. Though something told her that was a futile thought.

The next clan was Thunderclan, they spilled down gracefully, the moonlight glinting over their fur. She spotted Bluestar in the lead, her body a sigh of water rushing over stones. She was something to admire, Fierceheart thought. One leader that has yet to exile her.

Almost subconsciously her eyes scanned for Fireheart. His orange pelt seemed gray in the glaring white light of the moon. She saw him talking to Windclan, the same cat that was at the falls and that fight, where Riverclan had taken her.

She stiffens at the scent of others. Not just others.. but Shadowclan mostly. Riverclan was there too, she turned her gaze to Crookedstar pacing down into the clearing. He looked so unbreakable, so sturdy... it was as if he never cared for her. Leopardfur at his side was the same.

Nightstar stood at the top of a ridge, his lean figure slinking down with the clan following. Fierceheart took them in with surprise. They were bigger, healthier.. so much better off without her father. Her mother has never looked so beautiful before, her dark coat shiny and her blue eyes glowing. Fierceheart's chest ached, watching them move together, as if one. A good, loyal clan. And how much she wished to join them. To run up to her mother and nuzzle her chest, to join Pinepaw and Ferretpaw, as they pounded down the slope. She even craved, as much as no one would think, for Nightstar to look down at her with approval.

But as they ran past and into the clearing of cats, Fierceheart found her paws moving forward, just at the back of their group. She couldn't stop herself and it was too late. She was already out in the open and the best thing to do was disappear in plain sight.

She followed Shadowclan towards the boulder, ducking her head low and being as silent as possible. She slid up next to the bark on one of the four trees, hidden in it's shadow as the other cats went about the Gathering, unknowing of her.

She watched Crookedstar greet Nightstar. In fact it looked almost as if they were leaning towards each other.. in an agreement, in a buried, muffled friendship.

That stung, a little. Crookedstar, liking the tom that exiled her in the first place. And him being the second tom to exile her. It made a little sense, but from Bluestar first exclamation, Fierceheart knew it was more than that.

They were arguing over borders. As they did, Fierceheart let her eyes stray, narrowed through the throngs of cats in front of her.

Darkflower was not ten feet away from her. Her claws dung into the frozen ground, watching her bright shining eyes trained on Nightstar. Fierceheart felt a gathering pressure in her chest.

Pinepaw, the tiny black apprentice, was sitting abnormally close to Ferretpaw, the creamish tom that was a moon older than her. But then Fierceheart lifted her head, her eyes widening in realization. They weren't apprentices anymore. They were warriors, like her. She had no idea what they were named though and when Pinepaw tensed, at something the leaders were saying, Fierceheart watched Ferretpaw lick her tenderly behind the ear, to calm her.

Something in Fierceheart's gut trembled.

_Jealousy?_

A heat crawled over the skin underneath Fierceheart's pelt. Despite the fact that each of her exhales turned into a mist around her muzzle, she felt overheated by it. She felt uncomfortable.

She obviously wasn't jealous of Pinepaw having Ferretpaw. They were never truly friends to her, she's never really had a friend beyond her older brother and Silverstream, both of which she would never feel romantic feelings for. So she's especially not jealous over Ferretpaw. Pinepaw was one of the strongest in the clan against Fierceheart. Therefore, why in the name of Starclan, was she feeling jealous?

She couldn't figure it out. She just stood there, puzzled. Her flashing green eyes never left the two's forms, as if she was mystified or bemused by the mere show of the two felines affection.

What shook her from the thought was the shifting of one of the cats closest to her. Fierceheart stopped breathing for a minute, watching the large tom. She couldn't see his face from this angle, but he was large, large enough that her abnormally small size could be crushed by one swipe of his paws.

Carefully she slid away from him, further along the back row of cats. No one looked up at her as she did and instead of heading into more dangerous territory, by going left behind the Riverclan, she walked around the back of Thunderclan intending to hide behind Windclan. Windclan would neither recognize her nor would they think it strange that she carried the scent of Riverclan still.

Before she could reach a point behind a Riverclan apprentice, a paw swipes at her legs and her eyes fly up backwards to a gray she-cat pacing at her side.

Fierceheart froze, her eyes flying around to make sure no one was looking. They weren't. They were focused on the arguing leaders. She turned to the familiar face, plopping on the ground, behind Thunderclan, clinging to the shadows of Fourtrees.

"Silverstream," she hisses, worried. If Silverstream could spot her, than who else? Fierceheart was also distressed over the fact that Silverstream could get in trouble for speaking with her. "Go back-"

"What are you doing here?" Silverstream interrupts, obviously still the she-cat that hated being told what to do. Then her eyes turned sorrowful, her flank presses against Fierceheart's as she sits beside her friend. "I came back to camp earlier and.. and they told me you were gone. Mudfur says you murdered our apprentice."

Fierceheart let out a small, guilty mewl. She kept seeing the sight of scarlet blood splattered across leaf-bare's blinding white snow.

"I didn't believe him, Fierceheart," Silverstream hurriedly added, mistaking Fierceheart's upset about what she may have been implying. "What really happened? Brokenstar was involved.."

"Yes," Fierceheart breathes, looking with narrowed eyes through the throngs of Thunderclan cats. Horrifyingly, to her already tense and suspenseful nerves, she met a pair of yellow eyes, staring straight back at her. She nearly jumped in fright, but realized it was Graystripe almost immediately.

Fierceheart turned her gaze to the gray she-cat at her side. "He killed the apprentice, but I should have done more to stop him. It's too late now. I'm exiled from Riverclan, I can never go back. It'll be safer if you just forget me now." Fierceheart gave her a soft lick on the shoulder. "If they find me here, Shadowclan will have me by the tail. And if they think you're with me.."

"I don't care," Silverstream expressed, turning her eyes towards the four leaders. There was so much compassion within that she-cat, it made Fierceheart almost feel jealous of her and Graystripe as well. But why? She didn't know. "You are my friend. I mus-"

"The warrior code entitles that you may hold friendships with cats of other clans, but it is the well being and loyalty of your own clan that should come first, Silverstream. I understand that, why can't you?"

Silverstream was silent for a few moments then she looked back at Fierceheart. "You're not another clan cat. There is no rule about caring for those outside of the-"

"Stop with the loopholes!" Fierceheart suddenly snarled, standing and pulling away from her. Something inside of her snapped. All hope was gone! Why couldn't Silverstream just accept it, like she had? "You say that you love Graystripe and that is your excuse for risking everything. You say because we are friends that you will risk being attacked, or worse, being exiled. Sometimes there are limits, sometimes there is some place that love or warmth or whatever else has to just stop and follow the rules!"

You could see the hurt in Silverstream's eyes. Then the older warrior sighs, shaking her head as if she is disappointed. "You're wrong, Fierceheart." Her gaze of blue lifted and showed with a questioning that had Fierceheart choking up. "I can see you miss them. You miss your clan, I get it. But don't you? You miss them, because deep down they mean something to you. Because you aren't emotionless, you aren't some armor that is impossible to crack; you are a normal she-cat. Fierceheart, I may not know what happened in the past, why you were exiled, how, when or with who but I know it hurt you. I also don't know if you ever had a family, I know I'm close to my father."

Fierceheart winced at that, thinking of her father. But of course, Silverstream didn't know also about Cloverpaw and Flatpaw's death. She didn't know about Featherpaw, and the sound of his crushing bones. She didn't know what it felt like to be a kit against aged warriors.

"But you do know that love and friendship overlap everything. It _should_ whenever it can." Her eyes lifted across the Gathering towards Graystripe, the look in them transforming into a tender fondness. "Without it, what do we have to look forward to? The next border patrol? The next hunt?" She shakes her head quickly. "No. It should be watching our kinship walk beside us. It should be seeing the day where out kits are born healthy and will grow strong, passing us along inside of them as they go. It should be us fighting for those we love, the good cats. Even when _others_," she said this forcefully, "think they aren't one of them."

Her eyes bore into Fierceheart's.

The speech showed a lot about Silverstream's character and Fierceheart struggled to swallow it all. It was good to know, she knew. It held her by the tips of her spirit and she dearly wished to believe all of it. But it was hard to enforce. It went against the flow of her life. She was taught that each day started off with a hunt, a hunt for food to survive. It was like every cat for themselves in her clan. You hunt, you watch your back and you never cross the path of anyone who is bigger than you unless you want to find out just how 'close' kinship is, with their claws and teeth.

Fierceheart stared at her paws. As much as she wanted to feel like Silverstream did about everything, seeing the world as a lovely place, she couldn't. She couldn't because she knew if she did it would be like pulling herself back down to being the naïve kit she used to be. She felt it was just like pulling a fake curtain over her eyes, and when her father came back around he could take her out as she pretended as if he wasn't there.

To believe that, she would be endangering herself. But it was still nice to hear it, especially from Silverstream, especially when she craved for a friend.

"Thank you," she whispered back to Silverstream. "I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. But it is time for me to forget my time with Riverclan. You have helped me grow into a warrior and you were a wonderful mentor to me." Fierceheart nodded her head in respect while Silverstream let out a small purr. "I'm also glad you would fight for me now, but I won't go back to Riverclan. I never belonged there and we both know it."

"You belong with Shadowclan, Fierceheart."

The two she-cat's eyes flew up in surprise. They had been talking quietly and no one had noticed them, but now there was another cat hiding in the shadow's with them, slipping between them. The old she-cat's orange eyes were mirthful at the two other's surprise.

"Yellowfang," Silverstream breathes in relief.

The old medicine cat nods, and then says sternly, "You should get back to your clan, before you are noticed missing, the Gathering is nearly over."

Silverstream only paused to look at Fierceheart before slipping discreetly back towards her clan. As she did that Fierceheart looked to Yellowfang, almost bashfully. "You won't turn me in will you?" she asks.

Yellowfang shakes her head, sitting back and curling her tail about her body. "I couldn't do that to my own kin."

Fierceheart waited for the joke. She stared up at the old she-cat but her eyes were cast upwards towards the full moon. "What do you mean, your kin?"

"My granddaughter, of course," she scoffs.

Fierceheart let out a throaty laugh, that sound more like a sputtering cough. Thankfully it was quiet. "You- your... my father's.. Brokenstar's.. mother?"

Yellowfang looked pained for a minute, then nodded tightly.

For a minute Fierceheart didn't know what to feel. First there was the shock, but that faded into a quick understanding by jumping around for answers. Of course she wouldn't have known, because medicine cats can't have kits of their own. It felt insulting to her, Fierceheart, absurdly so as she thought about the horrid things her father, Yellowfang's son, had accused this old she-cat of. The things he forced her grandmother through..

_The things __**I**__ tried to do to her! _

The thought made guilt lash Fierceheart over the surface. She remembered wanting to pry the fur off Yellowfang's back, for something she later realized she hasn't done. She remembers tracking her down, hating her, helping exile her, drawing blood from her..

"I had no idea," Fierceheart says, the words tumbling out of her mouth.

"I know. Don't worry over it. Just listen to me..." Yellowfang lowered her face to glare at the young warrior. "You must leave here. I don't want to see you around here anymore, or in any other clan territory. Go out and find a band of loners, or house folk-" Fierceheart looked disgusted, but Yellowfang continued to talking, "-no matter what. I can not help you and Brokenstar-"

At her father's name, Fierceheart suddenly remembered her old fear and irritation; the planned ambush! She sat straighter, opening her mouth to interrupt Yellowfang and warn her about Brokenstar's planned attack, but was cut off.

The cats were departing, moving, standing, looking around. Yellowfang ducked around Fierceheart before she could speak and warn, the old she-cat nudge the younger towards the departing Windclan at their left and told her to run with them until the forest, then subtlety disappear; never come back.

Having no choice, with the warriors of Thunderclan heading her way, Fierceheart took up a sprint hanging behind the apprentices of Windclan, until they reached the end of the clearing, up the ridge and she slide away from their ranks unnoticed.

She tumbled over ferns, and she struggled to shake snow off her pads. When she paused for breath, she looked to the right, back towards Fourtrees. It was hidden by trees and she knew Yellowfang told her to go.. to run, but she couldn't the warning was still hanging from her tongue.

She had to warn them. Her stomach quivered thinking of her father hurting Yellowfang, or Silverstream's light of the world, Graystripe. She even shuddered to think that the kind orange tom, Fireheart could fall underneath his claws.

In fact, it angered her. The anger gripped her insides like a flaming fist and she shot off forward, careening around the clearing, racing through Riverclan territory, tearing through bushes, driving forward, ripping through thorns, her chest bursting with the need to say a warning. To foil her father's plan and save good cats, like Silverstream thought them to be.

* * *

**_A/N: _**_I'm so so so sorry it's been so long! I haven't given up on this story, it's just slow coming. I still have things planned! Just little motivation to re-read the books as I go and make sure everything flows together smoothly. Thanks to everyone who is still tagging along! I would LOVE and appreciate any reviews, especially long ones! They could make for a quick update. Thanks for reading, sorry for typos. -Taryn(:_


	17. Second Plan

Chapter 17- "Second Plan"

* * *

Fierceheart didn't know what to look for when she reached the sunning rocks. When she arrived she was startled to find that the river had begun to thaw and that the water was rushing down the stream of slush. So violently that she was frightened to approach it too closely. In the morning, when the sun's heat will thaw it even more she knew that it will be even worse and hectic.

Fierceheart was just glad that she ran passed the falls and slid over the still frozen piece of the river, by Owl Tree. But now that she made it the moon was lowering. She felt hyper aware of everything as she padded over the sunning rocks, looking for any cat in sight. Not only was she worried her father may try to attack her, she also knew she was on the border of Riverclan and inside of Thunderclan's own territory.

There was a chance that three different groups of lines might harm her. Though she trusted Brokenstar needed her she didn't know if this could still be counted as evening. He demanded she meet him there before the next day. Was it too late?

"Ahh.. so you have joined us."

Fierceheart chilled at the sound of his voice. She was rethinking her new plan now. Maybe running to her father and trying to sabotage him was worse then running headlong into Thunderclan camp. The problem with the first plan was that Bluestar had no idea who she was, Tigerclaw obviously has a grudge against her, and Fierceheart had no idea where Thunderclan camp was.

_Father does, _she thinks forcefully while her gut tremors, _I just need to play along. _

"Yes," she mews, turning around towards the approaching shadows of her father from the underbrush. He emerged from Thunderclan territory and she tried to keep the fear out of her eyes as three other cats followed him out. "I've chosen what the obvious thing to do is."

Clawface laughs throatily. "It is about time."

"I was beginning to think she was as mouse-brained as the others," Wetfoot added, smirking over at Blackfoot.

Fierceheart's fur bristled taking in the all too familiar faces. Wetfoot was as huge as she remembered, his front paw was still big enough to crush her. Hesitantly she stepped from the rock and met her father face to face. The three warriors settled behind him their eyes glowing menacingly.

"Where are the others?" I asked.

Brokenstar purred. "Off in the other Clan territories, causing trouble. I saw you at the Gathering, I was standing back. It seems my plans have been working out. They are all turning against each other, or more like, Thunderclan. Riverclan and Shadowclan have banded against them, after they have lost so much prey. My rogues leave scents all around their borders, just to raise paranoia."

For a minute Fierceheart remembered the words of Spottedleaf, at Highstones, _"Cats, bad cats, will continue to tear apart the structure of our clans," _and she couldn't help but think it was her father.

"What is your plan?" Fierceheart forces out. She is having trouble keeping the hate and disgust from her voice. She knows she has no chance in fighting them and there is no way she could change her mind anymore. She must go through with this.

For Thunderclan. For Yellowfang and Silverstream's lover, Graystripe. Deep down, another voice whispered, _for the kind orange tom, Fireheart. _

She shook that off mentally as Clawface answered her. "We were just at Thunderclan camp. Bluestar is stressed, she called a meeting just as they entered camp. She's changed patrol numbers..."

"And the first one leaves at dawn," Brokenstar finished, his orange eyes delighted. "We will find their camp with less and less cats as the day goes on, we'll have them at their weakest."

The three warriors at his back emanate with pleasure. Timidly Fierceheart drew closer to her father, nearly touching nose to nose. "What do you plan to gain by taking over Thunderclan camp?"

What does it have to do with his revenge on Shadowclan?

"You'll see.. in time."

With that they got to their paws and led her along the border of the river. She had to follow and as she did she got even tenser as the night went on. Clawface slowed down to walk along her side and it took all her strength not to leap from his side. His fur brushed against hers constantly.

"Where are we going?" she breathes to Clawface and the tom looks over at her.

He seemed to hesitate, his eyes looked slightly icy, but she watched them warm a little. "We are going to find somewhere to nest for the night, in the morning we will check back in with the others. Brokenstar will organize us and we will strike at the right moment." He nods to the three warriors ahead of himself and then the path before that. "This leads to a place Thunderclan calls Treecut place It's too far from their borders to check tonight, we'll be fine for the night."

It actually sounded like he genuinely wanted to comfort her. Fierceheart nodded to him and watched Blackfoot shoot a look over his bulking shoulder. It seemed like there was some warning in his eyes for Clawface, but Fierceheart couldn't analyze it right.

As they neared a tall fence, they slowed pace. Fierceheart froze at the edge of the forest, where it abruptly ended and led to a graveled path. She stared at it, then gazed wondrously up at the ten fox-tails high wood gate. She'd never seen such a thing and Brokenstar had to hiss to get her attention back.

He led them all into a thick underbrush next to the gravel path, teetering from the edge of Thunderclan's borders. There was enough room for ten cats in there, but Brokenstar curled up next to Blackfoot and Wetfoot. Hesitantly Fierceheart took nest a few mouse-tails away.

She knew she had to go through with this. Even listening to the sound of their breath a few paces away gave her waves of regret and guilt at being here. Riverclan would hate her for being here. Her mother and Nightstar would only be right about her. She couldn't even imagine what Yellowfang might think.

Burying her face against the cold grass she drew in a long breath and screwed her eyes shut. She thought if she could just fall asleep her raging thoughts would stop nagging her, but as soon as the thought came it was shattered. Clawface moved towards her, curling up against the length of her back, the heat of his skin reaching through his fur and hers to give her stomach a violent jerk.

With his bitter, foul tasting scent suffocating her, Fierceheart knew now that sleeping, would be impossible.

* * *

**_A/N: _**_I know it's short but it's all I have time to write. Hope it gives some relief of the plan. To give you a bone, so to speak, I'll tell you she doesn't actually make it to the battle. What stopped her? (Guess!) Thanks for reading, sorry for typos, please review! -Taryn(:_


End file.
